Weapons, cash seized as Romania targets far-right politician Georgescu's network, Reuters reports

Romanian prosecutors requested the temporary arrest of 21 individuals linked to far-right politician Calin Georgescu on Feb. 28, days after his detention, Reuters reported.

During raids at multiple addresses linked to Georgescu and his associates, prosecutors seized a cache of weapons, including grenade launchers, as well as hidden cash.

Georgescu, a pro-Russian politician who has called Ukraine a "fictional state," won the first round of Romania's presidential election on Nov. 24.

The country's Constitutional Court later nullified the results, citing "organized manipulation from abroad."

The Romania's Prosecutor General's Office has charged Georgescu with "incitement to actions against the constitutional order" and other offenses in a six-count indictment.

Authorities say a broader investigation into election-related crimes uncovered links to an alleged illegal weapons network.

Among the 21 individuals now facing arrest is former French Foreign Legion soldier Horatiu Potra, who served under contract in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

"About the weapons, I will admit to illegal possession, but first I want to say that... rather than die legally, it is better to live illegally," Potra said, as quoted by Reuters.

Romanian intelligence agencies have attributed Georgescu's unexpected electoral success to "aggressive Russian hybrid attacks, including cyberattacks, information leaks, and sabotage."

The country's foreign intelligence service (SIE) reported that a "state actor" had backed a sophisticated disinformation campaign to promote the far-right candidate.

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance criticized Romania's decision to annul the election results, calling it "flimsy" and politically motivated.

Billionaire Elon Musk, an ally of U.S. President Donald Trump, also weighed in, denouncing Georgescu's detention in a post on X, the social media platform he owns.

Bloomberg reported on Feb. 18 that the Trump administration has pressured the Romanian government to allow Georgescu's candidacy to proceed, despite intelligence pointing to Russian interference.

If elected president, Georgescu has vowed to ban Ukrainian grain exports through Romania and halt military aid to Kyiv.

The ongoing criminal case could prevent him from running in Romania's rescheduled presidential election, set for May 4.