The NAC Synthesis: 80 searches in corruption cases, convictions and seizures of criminal assets
The National Anti-corruption Centre (NAC) has presented the main actions carried out in the previous week in the field of combating and preventing corruption, as well as the recovery of criminal assets. During the reporting period, the NAC officers carried out 80 searches in two high-profile cases.
Over 30 searches targeted a department head and 5 employees of the Botanica Police Inspectorate, suspected of passive and active corruption committed under aggravating circumstances. They allegedly demanded and received amounts ranging between 3,000 and 10,000 dollars, both in cash and in virtual currency, from individuals involved in illicit drug trafficking. The police officers were placed in preventive detention for 30 days. Another 50 searches were conducted in Orhei district and Chisinau municipality, in a criminal case regarding the illegal financing of political parties. At the moment, 26 people have the status of suspects. At the same time, criminal investigation officers have initiated 10 new criminal cases, and 7 people are currently in the NAC detention centre.
Also last week, the Chisinau Court (Buiucani headquarters) convicted the former presidents of the territorial offices in Ungheni, Rezina and Drochia of a former political party, ordering the confiscation of over 13 million lei. Thus, the president of the Ungheni OT received 4 years of suspended imprisonment and the confiscation of 3.2 million lei, the leader from Rezina was sentenced to 4 years of detention (of which 2 years with execution), being announced wanted and obliged to pay 1.9 million lei, and in the case of the president from Drochia, the court imposed a 5-year suspended prison sentence, a ban on managing political parties for 5 years and a record confiscation of over 8.1 million lei.
The Criminal Assets Recovery Agency (CARA) imposed seizures on assets worth about 1.4 million lei in a file regarding influence peddling and smuggling. Other previous seizures of about 1 million lei were confirmed by the court, about 780 000 lei were taken over for administration and 1.3 million lei were deposited in the treasury accounts of the CARA.
In the field of corruption prevention, the NAC submitted to the authors 13 expert reports and 3 opinions on draft normative acts. Also, 2 operational analyses were completed, 95 integrity records were issued, and over 800 officials participated in anti-corruption training. The National Anti-corruption Line received 51 calls, and 1,400 materials were registered in the Chancellery of the Centre.