“The Migrant” business

How the Inner Workings of Illegal Migrant Businesses in Romania Operate and what are their hidden rules?

Over the past six months, RISE reporters have delved into the underground world of an industry that has been making hundreds of millions of euros in profit for the past two years by trafficking Asian citizens who arrive in Europe hoping for a better life.

Since 2022, Romania has allowed 100,000 foreign workers to enter the country annually for employment. However, the mechanisms through which these people arrive have already been deeply corrupted. Many end up on the streets or are smuggled in trucks by traffickers and transported to other European countries.

We interviewed victims and heard harrowing stories, investigated the companies involved in this illegal trade and obtained testimonies from individuals connected to these businesses. Our findings revealed that Romania hosts organized crime networks that include former employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, businesspeople with criminal records and even politicians.

This web of interests and criminal groups extends beyond Romania’s borders, supplying multinational companies with foreign workers who are illegally brought into the country.