Searches at the Leușeni and Cahul customs posts. Seven Customs Service employees detained for 72 hours by the NAC officers and prosecutors in a systemic corruption case

The National Anti-corruption Centre (NAC), jointly with the prosecutors of the Cahul Municipal Prosecutor's Office, has announced the conduct of criminal investigation actions in a case concerning systemic corruption committed by Customs Service employees. Seven officials of the Leușeni–Albița and Cahul–Oancea customs posts were detained for 72 hours, suspected of having systematically demanded various amounts of money from carriers.

According to the case materials, the suspects, while performing their official duties, allegedly abused their position and, acting out of material interest, allegedly demanded and received from passenger and parcel carriers amounts of money of up to 1 000 euros not to subject the means of transport to customs control and to allow the entry of goods into the territory of the Republic of Moldova without customs clearance.

Several episodes of demanding and receiving money were documented during the criminal investigation, which were transferred under the control of the criminal investigation body, in accordance with legal provisions. Following the searches, the seven suspects are to be questioned and placed in solitary confinement.

The criminal investigation continues to establish all the circumstances of the case, identify other persons involved and consolidate the evidence. The persons concerned benefit from the presumption of innocence, according to the law.