Moldovan human smuggler injures 7 in Budapest car crash
A Moldovan human smuggler caused a severe car accident in Budapest, injuring a seven-member family, including children, before fleeing the scene.
According to an earlier statement from the police, a Moldovan man previously convicted of human smuggling caused a severe car accident in Budapest, injuring a seven-member family, including children, before fleeing the scene. The crash occurred on 5 January in Budapest’s XXII district, where the man ran a red light and collided with the family’s vehicle. However, later, the Budapest police clarified that the driver responsible for the accident was not the Moldovan human smuggler previously released under Hungary’s emergency regulations. Instead, the culprit was his brother, a 27-year-old Moldovan identified as T.S., who bears a striking resemblance to his sibling. The two brothers reportedly used each other’s documents interchangeably, further complicating identification
Human smuggler convicted but released
Previously, it was reported that the driver, identified as Tiganciuc Calin, had a history of human smuggling, including transporting five Nepali migrants illegally through Hungary in March 2024, Blikk reports. He was sentenced to three years and ten months in prison and banned from Hungary for nearly eight years. However, despite being excluded from parole eligibility, he was released under special reintegration rules. This policy, introduced by the Hungarian government, mandates that convicted human smugglers leave the country within 72 hours of their release.
Later, during a press conference on Friday, Lieutenant Colonel Krisztián Léránt of the Budapest Police Traffic Enforcement Department confirmed the new details. T.S., who is now the subject of an arrest warrant, is also suspected of involvement in other crimes. However, due to the ongoing investigation, no further information was disclosed. The previously expelled brother was confirmed to have been in Moldova at the time of the accident and remains there currently.
The tragic accident
The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday, when T.S., fleeing from the police in an Audi S8, ran a red light and collided with another car in Budapest’s XXII District. The fleeing driver abandoned the scene without checking on the victims. Tragically, the occupants of the other car—a family of seven, including children—suffered injuries, with two of them in serious condition. In their pursuit of the perpetrator, investigators discovered a key belonging to a hotel or Airbnb accommodation at the accident site, which may provide leads in the search for T.S.
Misreporting and official clarifications
Initial reports suggested that the driver was the human smuggler previously convicted and released due to emergency regulations. This individual had been involved in a human trafficking network smuggling migrants into Western Europe. However, police confirmed that the fugitive driver is not the same person. This revelation has shifted the focus of the investigation and raised questions about the brothers’ coordinated activities and use of falsified or shared documents to evade authorities.
Criticism from opposition
The case has drawn sharp political criticism. Péter Magyar, leader of the opposition Tisza Party, accused the government of endangering public safety by releasing thousands of human smugglers from prison under its reintegration policy. He claimed the decision directly contributed to the tragic incident and called on the prime minister to take responsibility for the policy.
Authorities are continuing their investigation into the crash and searching for the fugitive, while the victims, including children, are recovering from their injuries. The incident has intensified the debate over Hungary’s controversial reintegration policy for human smugglers.
Read also:
- Hungary releases convicted foreign human smugglers: Austria outraged
- Human smuggler causes deadly mass accident in Hungary
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