A mini zoo was found on the propertyof two Romanian gangsters, Sile and Nutu Camataru, by their real names Vasile and Ion Balin, who were recently taken by prosecutors, together with 22 other people involved in street conflict between the two gangs they were leading, Camatarii and Sportivii (in translation Shark lenders and Athletes). The Police also took into custody Radu Cristian Roşca, the leader of the Athletes gang. The prosecutors found that members of the two gangster groups committed violent crimes, which brought them financial benefits.

Prosecutors found that Sile and Nutu Camataru were keeping several wild animals on their farm in the Ferentari area of Bucharest, among which four lions and two bears, which were confiscated and taken to a local zoo. Vier Pfoten foundation, which took care of transporting the animals to a local zoo, said the lions need cages three times bigger than those they had on the gangsters' property. However, the animals seemed to be well fed. The lions will end up in South Africa, where they will stay on two – hectare areas and will be fed by members of the Vier Pfoten foundation. Another 32 lions taken from Romania, either from zoos or confiscated from individuals, were sent there in the last ten years.

The Romanian law only allows people to keep wild animals in captivity with certain permits from the Sanitary – Veterinary Authority and for limited periods of time. Sile and Nutu Camataru also had other types of animals on their property, among which 20 pedigree dogs, 30 thoroughbred horses, as well as many exotic birds, all of which were legally owned.

The mother of the two arrested gangsters, Mimi, also nicknamed Camatareasa, said they tried to give the wild animals to the state, but nobody wanted them, as they did not have the means to feed them. The lions need nine kilos of meat a day each and the bears, who are not being fed meat, eat 12 kilos of food a day each.

She also said their sons raised the animals and that his son Sile kept the lions when they were little in his bed. Both Sile and Nutu Catamaru previously served time in jail for violence, loan shark lending, human trafficking and pandering. Nutu was released from jail last year, after serving a six-year sentence. Sile served a total of nine years in prison between 2004 and 2011, and between 2001-2002. According to their mother, they can survive jail, but not being separated from their animals, which seem to be their soft spot.

editor@romania-insider.com