Officers of the Security and Intelligence Service, employees of the Border Police and Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, jointly with Romanian authorities, dismantled a cross-border organized criminal group specialized in smuggling, consisting of 15 people.
Members of the group had well-defined roles and, in order to carry out the criminal activity, they operated jointly with another group that was taking over smuggled goods.
The activity of the criminal group was investigated during six months. In this period of time, authorities documented five controlled deliveries of cigarettes across the "green" border of the state. Therefore, they gathered relevant evidence detained individuals in flagrante delicto.
At the same time, authorities found out that the documented persons corrupted employees of the Border Police, in order to illegally cross the “green” border (other sections than legal checkpoints). Border policemen were paid between €4000-7000 for organization of each clandestine crossing.
During the operation, the investigation team carried out 12 searches in several localities in the northern region of the Republic of Moldova, while four people were detained.
The persons named in the case are citizens of the Republic of Moldova, aged between 25 and 40 years. In fact, they purchased and stored goods near the border and then illegally transported them across the state border.
We point out that throughout the criminal investigation, the suspects are presumed to be innocent.