A man attempting to sell stolen toxic substances from Italy has been apprehended after a sting operation conducted by the Timis Economic Crime Investigation Service policemen, as part of a joint cross-border operation and following information obtained with the support of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), write Agerpres.

According to a press release issued on Thursday by the General Inspectorate of Romanian Police (IGPR), several people were targeted who had attempted to sell 4,420 bottles of insecticide.

„In fact, on June 6, 2023, policemen of the Timisoara Economic Crime Investigation Service detected in traffic, in flagrante delicto, a car and a van in which there were five men, aged between 21 and 51, suspected of committing the crimes of theft possession and trafficking of toxic products or substances. Following the control of the vehicles, 221 boxes of insecticide were discovered in the passenger compartment of the van, each box containing 20 vials of 200 ml of toxic substances, the products being offered for sale at a price of 18 EUR per vial, it being suspected that they were stolen on 28 March 2023 from Italy, the market value of the stolen products being over 1,000,000 EUR,” the press release showed.

According to the quoted source, the 4,420 vials containing insecticide were seized for further investigation and the van was impounded until the investigation is completed.

The five persons were taken in to the Timis County Police Inspectorate for hearings.

The IGPR mentioned that the policemen of the Economic Crime Investigation Service, in collaboration with the Italian judicial authorities, will continue to conduct investigations in order to determine the entire criminal activity of the five persons and to take the necessary legal measures.