Searches over attempt to send military-use machinery to Belarus

 DIICOT prosecutors and police officers from the Directorate for Combating Organised Crime carried out 12 house searches on Wednesday in Bucharest and the counties of Dambovita, Bacau and Ilfov as part of an investigation into offences involving the breach and circumvention of the international sanctions regime imposed by the European Union, as well as the sale, transfer and export of dual-use products.Specifically, the individuals targeted in the searches are alleged to have attempted to send an industrial machine of the VL40 type (vertical lathe) to Belarus through intermediaries. The machine, worth approximately 1.7 million euros, can be used to manufacture equipment intended for military purposes.'Investigations conducted to date have established that, between December 2025 and September 2026, several individuals allegedly carried out commercial and technical activities involving the manufacture, sale and transfer of dual-use industrial machinery, which could be used both for civilian purposes and for the manufacture of equipment intended for military purposes. The case concerns a VL40-type industrial machine (vertical lathe), worth approximately 1,750,000 euros, for which there is evidence that steps were taken to transfer it to intermediary recipients in third countries, despite the fact that the final beneficiary was allegedly an entity in Belarus subject to the European Union's restrictive measures,' DIICOT said in a press release.Investigators said they had identified evidence indicating that, through the integration of hardware and software components, as well as modifications to the machinery's technical parameters, the machines acquired characteristics enabling them to be used for military purposes.'Evidence gathered during the criminal investigation also indicates the use of commercial channels involving companies in third countries, with the aim of concealing the final beneficiary and circumventing the export control regime, as well as efforts to obtain export authorisations, followed by the continuation of the operations after these applications had been rejected by the relevant authorities. In this case, by an order dated September 29, 2026, it was decided to continue the criminal investigation against eight suspects in connection with the commission, in various forms of participation, of the offence provided for under Article 271, paragraph (1), letter e), in conjunction with paragraphs (5) and (6) of Government Emergency Ordinance No. 202/2008 on the implementation of international sanctions,' DIICOT said.The suspects are being questioned at the headquarters of DIICOT - Central Structure.The operation is being supported by officers from the Bacau Brigade for Combating Organised Crime, the Dambovita Service for Combating Organised Crime, officers from the Special Intervention Brigade of the Gendarmerie, the Bacau Mobile Gendarmerie Group and the Dambovita County Gendarmerie Inspectorate.