Border police at Western Nadlac II crossing point have caught 16 people from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Iran who tried to leave the country illegally, hiding in two vehicles, the foreign nationals having come to Romania with work visas.

„A Romanian national and a Bulgarian national, driving a car and a vehicle registered in Romania and Bulgaria, presented themselves for border formalities on the way out of the country. According to the documents accompanying the goods, the drivers were transporting pallets, beds and mattresses for commercial companies in Italy and the Netherlands. Following a thorough check of the means of transport, 16 foreign nationals were discovered hidden in the cargo compartments among the goods transported,” Arad Border Police said on Thursday.

Following checks, it was established that the 16 are from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Iran and entered Romania legally on work visas.

The two drivers are being investigated for smuggling migrants, while the foreign nationals hidden in the vehicles are being investigated for attempting to fraudulently cross the state border.

AGERPRES