14 DAY TRIAL // On January 17, 2014, a total of 11 individuals were arrested on suspicion of taking part in an international network of Romanian payment card fraudsters. The suspects were detained just as they were preparing to go to Italy, presumably to conduct skimming attacks.
The law enforcement operation has been carried out by authorities in France and Romania with support from Europol’s European Cybercrime Center (EC3).
One of the arrested individuals is said to be the group’s leader. Other suspects are believed to be financers. A total of 26 locations were searched and various items were seized.
Two ATM skimming device factories have also been shut down by police. Before cracking down on the fraudster group, Romanian and French officers monitored the suspects for a week.