April 30, 2015 - Romanian police have arrested 25 people accused of being part of a cybergang that used cloned cards to steal more than $15 million in thousands of ATM withdrawals around the world.

The gang is suspected of hacking the computer systems of banks in Puerto Rico and Oman and stealing card data, according to the Romanian Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (Diicot).

The gang - made up of over 52 members - then allegedly used the data to clone cards and make more than 34,000 cash withdrawals at ATMs in 24 countries, including the US, Belgium, Colombia and Japan.

The coordinated withdrawals were carried out on banks' non-working days. On one day, 20 February 2013, $9 million was taken from cash machines in Japan. On 2 December 2013, $5 million was taken in 42000 withdrawals in 15 cities.

Over the weekend authorities raided 42 houses across Romania, picking up 16 laptops and mobile phones, as well as EUR150,000 , two kilograms of gold ingots and some paintings.