Police in Romania have raided several houses belonging to British-American controversial social media personalities Andrew and Tristan Tate.

The pair are facing human trafficking and exploitation charges.

The Romanian Directorate for Investigating Organized Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT) said, without naming the subjects, that the raids in and around Bucharest related to trafficking and money laundering charges.

DIICOT said that the raids concern new offenses, not the ones the brothers are already charged with.

Lawyers for the brothers confirmed the raids had to do with their residences.

Who is Andrew Tate?

Tate had a career in kickboxing and a brief stint reality television before he and his brother found their social media niche. A self-described misogynist, Tate sold "courses" that have been accused of encouraging violence against women.

Andrew Tate has also been accused of rape and of coercing women into sex work.

He and his brother were arrested in December 2022.

es/rm (AFP, dpa)