A slick international police operation has smashed a ruthless Romanian criminal gang behind thousands of ATM scams nationwide. Nine men are now behind bars with combined sentences of over 25 years.
11 Months, Over 3,300 ATM Frauds Exposed
The Eastern Region Special Operations Unit teamed up with Romanian cops to take down this notorious crew. Over 11 months in 2024, the gang made more than 3,300 fraudulent withdrawals from 50+ cash machines. Detective Inspector Dan Barker said the probe involved “extensive work both here and overseas” to track the gang and their hi-tech kit.
Arrests at Luton Airport After Lengthy Investigation
The sting wrapped up in December 2024 with multiple arrests at Luton Airport as the crooks tried to flee. Earlier raids in Romania uncovered 18 properties, revealing flash cars like Lamborghinis and Porsches, plus a bizarre swimming pool emblazoned with anti-police graffiti.
The gang ran a temporary base in Luton while keeping strong ties back home. They used cutting-edge chipboard devices to hack ATM security. Police even seized a Chinese-made cash machine, believed to be for future scams.
Heavy Sentences for Crime Kingpins
- Ionut Pogar, 32, got 3 years and 1 month for fraud and money laundering.
- Silviu Alistar, 32, sentenced to 2 years and 3 months.
- The top sentence went to Alex Munteanu, 38, with 4 years and 6 months.
- Other key gangsters got between 18 months and 4 years and 4 months.
All nine men will likely be deported after serving time.
Detective Inspector Barker said: “These crimes were persistent, coordinated, and carried out on an almost industrial scale, showing just how far these criminals went to dodge justice.”
