BDuring an operation against a drug ring in Romania, 22 stolen racing bikes from the Italian cycling team also happened to be found again. Four suspects were arrested during searches in southeast Romania, the authorities announced on Friday.
“We caught them red-handed trying to sell some of the bikes at a modest price of around 1,500 euros each,” a prosecutor said.
The suspects are mainly accused of smuggling drugs into Romania, but also other goods. They allegedly stole bicycles worth more than 600,000 euros from the Italian national cycling team a week ago while they were taking part in a competition in France.
According to the French police, the bikes disappeared from a hotel in the city of Lille after they had been left there for “many hours unattended”.
“These bicycles have great economic value, but also sentimental value,” said a representative from the Italian embassy in Bucharest. Accordingly, it is the same wheels with which the Italian team won the gold medal in Tokyo and the World Cup in France.
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