About 70 million citizens pass through Romanian border checkpoints in 2019

Approximately 70 million citizens passed through the Romanian border checkpoints in 2019, the General Border Police Inspectorate (IGPF) writes in its 2019 activity report.

"Traffic at the border crossing points were about 69.8 million people crossings (56.8 million EU citizens and 13 million non-EU citizens) and 17.8 million means of transport," reads the report.

Against the previous year, the number of people who crossed the Romanian borders in 2019 increased by 10.7%, with a significant increase reported at the border with Bulgaria (38.7%).

It is noted that there were 19,384 criminal offences reported in 2019 at the borders.

"Most of the offences concerned illegal crossing of the border (1,847 instances), followed by misrepresentations (1,379) and financial and economic improprieties, including smuggling of goods (1,077 facts)," the Border Police shows.

According to IGPF, most of the border offences detected in 2019 occurred at the border with Moldova, 23.5% of the total border offences.

As far as illegal migration was concerned, the report mentions that border guards caught 3,727 foreign citizens who tried to illegally cross the border, of whom 2,048 into the country and 1,679 out of it, with most of them acting illegally at the border in groups of migrants with the support of traffickers.

"As regards the prevention and combating of goods smuggling and contraband, 73 economic and financial offences were reported and 10,004 instances of smuggling and customs fraud, with the value of confiscated goods standing at 225.3 million lei. About 334 persons were crossing or attempting to illegally cross the border with goods to be smuggled or trafficked illegally. A 47.7% increase in the value of goods discovered/impounded by the border police is noted," reads the report.

IGPF unveiled its 2019 activity report at an event attended by acting Interior Minister Marcel Vela, and the interim Attorney General Bogdan Licu.