Between honest work and traffic networks. The reality of the Romanians in Northern Ireland, after the Ballymen scandal
The Romanian unfairly arrested for the sexual assault of a girl in the Northern Ireland has attracted public attention, after publishing on Facebook a message in which she denies involvement in the alleged rape. In addition to the declarations of innocence, the man also posted videos in which he ostentatiously displays large amounts of money and a luxury car, which has aroused controversy among the locals.
Alex has been established since 2016 in the UK. Photo: Facebook
Although he claims that he works legally in construction and pays taxes, the images have raised question marks on the sources of income of some members of the Romanian community in Northern Ireland, notes the Daily Mail.
Concerns related to organized crime
Most Romanians in the region work legally in construction, agriculture, factories or courier services, but recent investigations have also revealed organized crime networks that involve human trafficking, sexual exploitation and modern slavery.
A recent case involves two Romanian citizens, Ilea Ionuț and Ancuța Schwarz, who were convicted in Sweden for human trafficking and prostitution control, after bringing vulnerable women to Belfast to be sexually exploited in improvised brothels. After the sentence in Sweden, the two were extradited to the Northern Ireland, where they were convicted again.
Other documented cases include Romanians forced to work in inhuman conditions in car or agriculture, being paid under the minimum wage and kept in improper housing. In 2014, a Romanian was fined with only 500 pounds because he kept workers in miserable conditions, and in 2015, 12 Romanians were hungry and deprived of salaries in Portadown.
Divisions within the community
Tensions between Romanians and the Roma community have appeared on social networks. Some Romanians accuse local authorities of not intervening against individuals “Who do not work and do not send their children to school”, and this image would harm the entire Romanian community.
For his part, the local leader Rom Cristi Buceanu asked calmly and condemned the generalizations: “A nation should not be judged by the behavior of a small group with antisocial tendencies.”
Inquiries in progress
In July 2023, the Northern Ireland Police, in collaboration with the Romanian authorities, triggered a large operation against a suspected network that the young people from Romania for sexual exploitation purposes. So far, six victims have been identified and receive specialized support.
“These young people were treated with cruelty difficult to imagine. They were fooled with promises of legal work, just to be forced to prostitute themselves,” said inspector Rachel Miskelly.
