Security and Intelligence Service

of the Republic of Moldova

“Metalferos” Case: Criminal Prosecution in Coordination with the General Prosecutor's Office (video)

The Security and Intelligence Service jointly with the General Prosecutor's Office and the support of the Internal Protection and Anti-Corruption Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) carried out yesterday a series of criminal prosecution actions in the case on JSC “Metalferos” fraud.

 

In fact, 31 searches were carried out at the premises of the shell and brokerage companies associated with “Metalferos”, through which schemes for metal purchasing and financial liquidity transfers were executed. Criminal prosecution actions were also carried out at the premises of the National Investigation Inspectorate (NII) of the MIA. As a result, 16 people were detained, including 4 police officers from the Department for Economic Fraud Investigation of the NII.

 

Also, several items and documents relevant to the criminal case were seized. The measures taken were conditioned by the results of a series of special investigation measures, criminal prosecution actions, and analysis of a wide range of financial and legal documentation. For the future, other criminal prosecution actions are planned concerning other individuals involved in the fraud.

 

We point out that these investigations do not jeopardize the daily activity of the respective companies. The actions of law enforcement bodies aim to document exclusively their previous illegalities, as state-owned enterprises dominating the metals market.

 

The acts and actions of the administration of the respective companies are to be analyzed and legally classified in terms of investigation into committing abuses or excesses of powers stipulated by the law, which would have caused particularly great damages to public interests.