The National gangster network

• BUCHAREST

District 1:The "Gemenii" ("Twins"), "Sadoveanu", "Buba", and "Capone" clans. The "Twins" are accused of being involved in the theft of luxury cars, as they were involved in the theft of the car of Gigi Becali.

District 2: The Duduieni, Caran and Gigi Corsicanu clan. Gigi Corsicanu is the leader of the fans of the Rapid football club. The Duduianu and Caran clans are allegedly involved in prostitution, usury, store and home robberies, drug trafficking.

District 3: The Chira, Pietroi, Buntea and Cuza clans. The Buntea clan seems to be mostly involved with scrap metal trading, whereas the Cuza clan seems to be involved in drug trafficking in luxury clubs.

District 4: The "Athletes'" clan, which focuses mostly on theft, robbery and racketeering - victims who don't comply are threatened and beat up.

District 5: The "Pian" ("Piano") clan, rose to prominence arose after the arrest of the Cămătaru brothers and seems to be involved in blackmail and usury. The Şteoacă clan is considered one of the largest drug dealing organizations in Bucharest.

District 6: The "Fighters'" clan, which was involved in the theft of weapons from Ciorogârla.

• DÂMBOVIŢA

The Ghenosu clan seems to be enjoying the support of several important people in the police and courts systems. The Ghenosu clan has ties with the Corduneanu clan and with that of the Cămătaru brothers and is allegedly involved in drug trafficking, pimping and racketeering.

• ARGEŞ

The Cârciumaru, Căldăraru, Spartans and Ciprienii clans. The clan of Titoaşcă allegedly lent money to several public servants and has the support of several magistrates in the county.

• PRAHOVA

Sandu Zamfir, nick-named "Austrianu", is allegedly a friend of Ghenosu, and the two of them are also friends with the Corduneanu clan of Iaşi, Oneaţă and the Cămătaru brothers. Austrianu was arrested in the winter of 2009 on charges of theft, threats, blackmail and muggings, and has been in the Mărgineni prison ever since.

• ILFOV

The "Belgians"' clan, specializing in drug trafficking (heroin), deprivation of freedom, pimping and muggings, is known to be operating in the area of the student hostels of Bucharest (Lacul Tei). Earlier this year, ten members of the group were arrested, including two of its leaders.

• GIURGIU

The "Butoane" ("Buttons") clan is the one which was recently involved in the scandal in a club in Giurgiu, which resulted in the death of an American basketball player. The faction has the support of the mayor, who is a representative of the PNL. It is well know that the "Buttons" are the kings of usury, pimping, racketeering and influence peddling.

• BUZĂU

The clan controlled by Feraru was the one which had a prostitution network in Spain; the leader of the group, Costel Feraru, is currently serving a six year sentence.

• BRĂILA

Titi and Ionel Sgârcitu are allegedly friends with the chief of the city's police. Favorite occupations: usury, blackmail, beatings and scams by which they were able to appropriate the homes of several naïve people in Brăila, with the help of some notaries. They are currently being tried without being arrested for blackmail and violation of moral principles. Other notorious shady characters of Brăila: Titel Crăcănatu, an associate of Nicu Ţăranu and close fried of Cocoş Băncuţă, nicknamed Oaie ("Sheep").

• CĂLĂRAŞI

The Chirmuş and Buriga clans are the newcomers in the area. In April 2011, the members of the two clans started a brawl in public, with swords, baseball bats, knives, stones and pistols.

• IALOMIŢA

The Frusin clan, which has approximately 35 members, most of them gypsies, is involved in local conflicts and battles in which melee weapons and firearms were used.

• OLT

Bercea "Mondialul" is the one who lays down the law in this area - he is notorious for being the godfather of Mircea Băsescu (the "interesting" brother of Romanian president Traian Băsescu) and for the presents he publicly offered to the president's wife.

• RÂMNICU-VÂLCEA

The "Piele" ("Skin") clan is a rival to the Stoica faction - Piele, the leader of the former is apparently a friend to judge Cerbeanu Gheorghe of the Court of Vâlcea (who was dismissed and sued by the National Anticorruption Department), county counselor Rădulescu Constantin and the head of the Govora Police, Popescu Paul.

• DOLJ

The faction of Enrico includes Andrei Lazăr, the son of a judge among its members. They have the Pară ("Pear") clan as rivals. A third clan - that of Gigioc - which deals in usury and vendettas - is at odds with another local clan, that of Velcu.

• GORJ

Up until recently, the Călina clan dominated the area, and was at odds with the Chiriac clan. The gangsters were allegedly illegally recruiting young women in a bar in the city, whom they then shipped off to Spain for prostitution. In the beginning of July 2011, the Court of Gorj sentenced ten members of the faction to jail. The ruling is not final and can be challenged with an appeal.

• MEHEDINŢI

Emilian Ştefan, nicknamed "The Godfather", allegedly used typical mob ways of forcing his victims to give him their money and jewelry. The victims were taken to the forest and forced to dig their own grave. The aggressors would crush their fingers with a hammer or would break their hands. They were also involved in usury and blackmail. The leader is in jail since March 2010.

• GALAŢI

The position of "chief gangster" remained vacant, after the assassination of Marian Ivan, who is one considered one of the most influential mobsters in Romania. The top contenders for the position are Iulian Simion (nicknamed "Bilă") and Nelu Ogeacă, who has the backing of the clans of Brăila.

• VRANCEA

The "Long haired" clan, led by Tătaru Vasile, specializes in illegal sales of contraband cigarettes, usury and car trafficking. In the same county, the group led by Argint Costică specializes in racketeering in Romania and in Italy alike.

• NEAMŢ

The Măraru brothers were involved in real estate and usury, before being shot in a bar, at the end of last year, by Cristian Chilat, hired by Dumitru Mironescu (nicknamed "Puiu"), another local gangster.

• IAŞI

The Corduneanu brothers are former fighting European Junior champions. Their most lucrative business is the network of thieves which covers 34 countries in Europe. In March 2011, the Court of Appeal Cluj decided to release 11 members of the faction, claiming that they were actually imprisoned for too long.

• BACĂU

Gangster Ovidiu Hasan has been serving a four year sentence after being convicted last year. Hasan owned all of the sexy-clubs in Bacău. It is rumored that Monica Gabor (former wife of Irinel Columbeanu) also worked in his clubs.

• VASLUI

The "Black Brigades" are rivals of the gangster nicknamed Cel. The two factions are fighting over their areas of influence in the city (in which they collect protection fees).

In Bârlad, the main warring clans are Dura and Drosu. In 2009, the two families caused a scandal which involved no less than 40 people. Out of the entire group, judges only had two people arrested. The Dura brothers are allegedly involved in drug trafficking.

• BOTOŞANI

A friend of the Cămătaru brothers, the leader of the Clămparu clan, nicknamed Cap-de-Porc ("Pighead"), is involved in the most dangerous prostitution rings. This year he was sentenced to 13 years in prison, in contumacy.

• CLUJ

The gangster nicknamed Gore, who seems to be mentally unstable, is currently being investigated for attempted murder. In the past, Gore superficially cut his own throat, following a verbal argument, and has been known to suffer from serious delusions, thinking himself God.

• BRAŞOV

The most ill-reputed neighborhoods are Noua and Dârste, where Ştefan Cheţea operates - a gangster who cooperates with Radu Cristian Roşca, a member of the local branch of the Athletes' clan. Tolea Ciumac (who held the frontpage of tabloids for a while), had also infiltrated the clans of Braşov.

• SIBIU

The Răcean clan is well known for its gold trading. The members of this faction also used to deal in construction equipment. They would then transfer ownership of the company to various vagrants, and take possession of the equipment.

• ALBA

Claudiu Mircea Sibiştean of Alba has charges of attempted murder, attempted deprivation of freedom, violation of moral principles, disturbing public peace, hitting and threatening individuals. In June 2011, he was "sentenced" by the Court of Appeal of Alba Iulia to serve one year in prison with suspension. He is currently free, since the ruling was final.

• SĂLAJ

Violence of the gypsies of Păuşa. Half the people in the village (about 25 people) have been arrested over the past two years, but the scandals continued.

• BISTRIŢA-NĂSĂUD

Daniel Pop, nicknamed Mărdăritu, was involved in human trafficking and pimping. He used to export prostitutes to Switzerland. In 2009, the members of the faction he belongs to were arrested by the authorities.

• HUNEDOARA

Behind the scandal concerning the theft of the Dacian bracelets are two gangsters called Spumă ("Froth") and Bibanu ("The bass"), who also lead a network of underground businesses and usury.

• BIHOR

Romi Neguş is the gangster involved in several street brawls and scandals. The so called Porumbelu (Turtledove) gang, led by Ciprian Porumb allegedly specializes in breaking and entering.

• HARGHITA

In this county, the main gang is the Székelyan Gang, led by Csibi Barna, who was involved in multiple scandals.

• COVASNA

Hungarian Gergik Mihai, also known as "Ninja Misi", gained his notoriety after biting the throat of a Romanian club owner.

• MARAMUREŞ

The "Cofeni" gang operates in the city of Borşa and in the adjacent areas and is involved in a conflict with the "Buteni" clan. Another gang operating in Maramureş is the one controlled by Bogdan Gheorghe Pătruşel, who allegedly gained protection in exchange for snitching on the other gangs.

• SATU-MARE

The three gangsters who were involved in racketeering in Satu-Mare - Doru Tucaks, Nicolae Fuşele şi Bogdan Tărţan - are now behind bars.

• ARAD

The clan of Uţu Rohozeanu, nicknamed "Stephen the Great" or "Vlad Ţepeş", counts as the biggest and most violent organized crime faction in Western Romania, and already has under his belt a conflict with another important clan in the region, the one controlled by Claudiu Baderca of Timişoara. In 2009, they were arrested by the authorities, but not for long.

• TIMIŞ

Ionelaş Cârpaci in association with Stancu and Covaci are involved in real estate and are currently the most feared in Timiş.

• CARAŞ-SEVERIN

Slavco Avram, of Serbian origin, is involved in cigarette contraband. After assaulting a policeman, he was sentenced to four years in prison, a ruling which was appealed by his lawyer.

• CONSTANŢA

The head of the underworld of Constanţa is Nuredin Beinur (the godson of Nicu Gheară). Beinur is charged with blackmail, tax evasion and embezzlement and is being tried without imprisonment.

• TULCEA

Focusing mostly on usury, Viorel Curea, nicknamed "Uscatu", work together with Ion Feraru, nicknamed "Ţepoi". The two were arrested in 2009, but they were released after a few days, due to a procedural flaw.