DIICOT 2024 Drug Report: Key Takeaways & Trends in Romania

DIICOT (the Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism) is Romania’s specialized prosecutor’s office tasked with combating the country’s most serious crimes. Its primary responsibilities include investigating and prosecuting high-level drug trafficking, human trafficking, cybercrime, terrorism, and other forms of organized crime. Almost all drug-related cases in Romania are handled by DIICOT.

Analyzing the sections dedicated to drug offenses in the 2024 DIICOT report (Romanian text) reveals a significant emphasis on the institution’s efforts in this area, with a disproportionate allocation of resources compared to other types of crime. Here are the main data and trends:

1. Overwhelming Dominance of Drug-Related Cases:
   • Drug-related offenses represent, by far, the largest share of DIICOT’s activity. They dominate the total volume of pending cases (75.53% – pg. 19), solved cases (76.09% – pg. 20), and, especially, cases sent to trial via indictment or plea agreement (80.18% – pg. 21)
   • The absolute number of pending drug-related cases increased significantly in 2024 compared to 2023 (32,292 vs 26,293 – pg. 32), indicating increased pressure on this segment.
2. General Increase in Quantitative Indicators (compared to 2023):
   • Cases solved: The total number of solved drug-related cases increased by 8.49% (9,594 vs 8,843 – pg. 32).
   • Indictments: The number of cases finalized with an indictment/plea agreement increased by 20.96% (2,124 vs 1,756 – pg. 33).
   • Defendants indicted: The number of defendants indicted for drug offenses increased by 26.36% (3,662 vs 2,898 – pg. 33).
   • Detained defendants indicted: An even sharper increase is observed here, at 34.58% (1,545 vs 1,148 – pg. 33), suggesting a tightening of procedural measures during the investigation phase.
   • New cases registered: An increase of 13.29% (16,915 vs 14,931 – pg. 32).
3. Significant and Diverse Seizures:
   • The total quantity of drugs (in kg) seized is slightly lower than in 2023, but with an increase in high-risk drugs (pg. 33).
   • A major decrease in seized tablets is noted (1.23 million vs 1.54 million in 2023), but also significant quantities of liters and doses (pg. 33).
   • An explosion in identified cannabis cultivations: 12,043 plants/cultures compared to 3,100 in 2023 (pg. 33). The seizure of green plant mass increased almost 9-fold.
   • Very large seizures of doping substances (>7 tons) and an exceptional cocaine seizure (approximately 16 tons in fruit pulp – pg. 7, 33).
4. Operational and Strategic Focus:
   • DIICOT has operationalized dedicated structures (Street Trafficking Combat Service, Constanța Bureau), improved analysis efficiency (collaboration with ANSVSA, RAMAN devices – pg. 7), and conducted coordinated actions in high-risk areas (e.g., festivals – pg. 7).
   • International cooperation with various countries and foreign authorities: Belgium (via Federal Police), EL PAcCTO 2.0, RFAI, French SIRASCO & Italy (DNA), Germany, EMCDDA/EUDA, Spain, Europol, France, FRONTEX, Ireland, INTERPOL, Lithuania, Malta, Portugal, Ukraine, UNODC, MAOC (N), Colombia, Brazil, SEACOP, COLIBRI, Switzerland, European Commission, Montenegro, Albania, Mexico, Dominican Republic (European Network of Anti-Drug Prosecutors, EMPACT 8.3 Plan – pg. 5, 7).
5. Trends in Modus Operandi:
   • Transit vs. Domestic Consumption: Romania remains an important transit country for heroin (from Asia) and cocaine/synthetics (from Western Europe), but the domestic market (especially cannabis and synthetics) is growing.
   • Technology: Intensive use of the Darknet, virtual currencies, and courier services for orders and payments, especially for synthetic drugs and small/medium quantities.
   • Domestic Production: Increased risk of developing domestic production capabilities (indoor/outdoor cannabis cultivation, extraction/production labs, including for heroin from morphine-base).
   • Poly-criminality: Increasingly close links between drug trafficking and other forms of crime (cybercrime, human trafficking, violence, etc.) and the proliferation of poly-skilled groups.
   • Involvement of Minors: A worrying trend is the increased participation of minors in committing these offenses.
   • Online Platforms: Development of a specialized online market offering enhanced anonymity.

General Trend:

The report reflects a constant intensification of DIICOT’s activities in the drug field, without an analysis of the real impact on consumption or recidivism. An adaptation of the structure and investigation methods to new realities (technology, specialized structures, international cooperation) is observed. The massive seizures (cocaine, cannabis, doping substances) indicate both the scale of the phenomenon and the increased reactivity of the authorities. Criminal trends show a diversification of methods (online, crypto), an increased risk of domestic production, and a worrying involvement of minors. According to its own reporting, drugs are treated as the main operational priority by DIICOT, with important implications for national criminal policy.