U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)  has given the Romanian authorities USD 400,000 as part of the ongoing joint efforts to tackle drug trafficking, according to Romania's Ministry of Justice. The Romanian police's drugs unit will receive 75 percent of the amount, while the remainder will go to the Ministry of Justice. The money is part of the revenue earned selling some recovered assets resulting from money laundering and drug trafficking activities.

Romanian Police Chief, Petre Toba said that working with the US authorities had led to dozens of complex cases being solved and developed "truly friendly relations between the Romanian police and their American colleagues."

US ambassador Mark Gitenstein said that the Romanians and the Americans had cooperated well during a  money laundering and drug trafficking  investigation in 2007-2008 and that Romania has recently made ​​considerable steps in the seizure of goods coming from crime.

Ioana Toader, ioana.toader@romania-insider.com