The Romanian mafia is a category of organized crime groups composed of Romanian citizens or diaspora members. Active primarily in Romania, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and North America, they engage in human trafficking, drug trafficking, prostitution, cybercrime, and other illicit activities. Known for ATM skimming and major scams, they have expanded across Europe and the Americas, with some groups forming alliances with Mexican cartels. The groups are horizontally organized, with leaders called 'Nașu'.
CRIMENET has extracted 12 linkages for this organization, including 12 cooperative ties across 8 organizations and footprints in 5 countries.
One of the most notorious aspects of the Romanian mafia in Italy is its involvement in human trafficking.
the Romanian mafia had actually reached Mexico in March 2014 and had spread to other states including Jalisco and Guanajuato . Starting in 2014, the group had a contract to install ATMs in banks in tourist areas, and by mid-2019, it had stolen $1.2 billion.
The Romanian mafia in Spain has a significant presence and wields considerable power, particularly in illegal activities such as human trafficking, forced prostitution, drug trafficking, and extortion.
Romanian mafia groups in the United Kingdom are involved in a range of illegal activities, including human trafficking, sexual exploitation, drug trafficking, financial fraud, and people smuggling.
Territory: Mostly active in Romania, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom and North America