Daisy Phillipson
A Romanian court dealing with Andrew Tate's arrest has agreed to hold the controversial internet personality in custody for 30 days.
Last evening (29 December), the former kickboxer and his brother, Tristan, were detained following a five-hour raid at their Pipera home, at the northern edge of Bucharest.
The Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT), which was in charge of the arrest operation, said it is investigating alleged human trafficking, rape and the formation of an organised criminal group.
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In the latest update, the Tates' lawyer told the BBC that they had maintained their right to silence at a detention hearing today (30 December).
Although the brothers were initially detained for 24 hours for questioning, Romanian prosecutors asked for them to be held at a 'detention centre' for an additional 30 days.
A police spokesperson told the outlet that the court agreed and they will remain in custody.
No charges have been made at the time of writing.
In a statement shared at the time of the arrest, DIICOT said it worked together with police officers from the Bucharest Organized Crime Brigade to search five homes in relation to suspected crimes 'constituting an organised criminal group, human trafficking and rape'.
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Authorities are investigating claims the victims were 'recruited by British citizens by misrepresenting their intention to enter into a marriage/cohabitation relationship and the existence of genuine feelings of love (the loverboy method)'.
The agency added: "They were later transported and housed in buildings in Ilfov county where, by exercising acts of physical violence and mental coercion (through intimidation, constant surveillance, control and invoking alleged debts), they were sexually exploited by group members by forcing them to perform demonstrations pornographic for the purpose of producing and disseminating through social media platforms material having such a character and by submitting to the execution of a forced labour."
Romanian media previously explained the raids were carried out because prosecutors wanted to make sure the brothers were in the country, which they were able to do so due to an unlikely war of words between Tate and Greta Thunberg.
It all started on Wednesday (28 December) when the 36-year-old decided to throw shots at the 19-year-old climate activist by bragging about the pollution caused by his collection of cars.
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She dolled out a crushing reply, writing on Twitter: "Yes, please do enlighten me. Email me at smalld**[email protected]."
Tate clapped back by suggesting he wouldn't recycle his pizza boxes, and during the clip it's apparent he's ordered pizza from a Romanian restaurant.
News outlet Gandul said: "After seeing, including on social networks, that they were together in Romania, the DIICOT prosecutors mobilised the special troops of the Gendarmerie and descended, by force, on their villa in Pipera, but also on other addresses."
Thunberg had another dig at Tate following the news of his arrest, writing: "This is what happens when you don’t recycle your pizza boxes."