Four officials from the Agency for Consumer Protection and Market Surveillance, detained by the NAC in a broad corruption scheme

Four officials from the Agency for Consumer Protection and Market Surveillance (ACPMS) were detained by the NAC and prosecutors, in a case initiated for passive corruption. They allegedly organized a corruption scheme, through which they would have claimed and received cash systematically from the economic agents, not to restrict their commercial activity.

In fact, it was found out within the criminal investigation, that the ACPMS employees carried out periodic checking of the traders in the markets of the capital and in the country, and in order not to indicate in their reports the established irregularities, they allegedly claimed and received from the economic agents cash, as protection money.

In four of the cases documented by the NAC, the amounts varied between 5 000 and 10 000 lei, that were transmitted in several tranches and charged under the pretext of not confiscating the goods, or allowing to sell the goods without the permissive acts.

Several searches were carried out in the offices of the Agency for Consumer Protection and Market Surveillance. As a result, four inspectors were detained and placed in the NAC Detention Center for 72 hours. Currently, they are being interrogated by the officers of the National Anticorruption Center.

If found guilty, the officials suspected of passive corruption risks up to 10 years in prison, a criminal fine up to 400 000 lei and the deprivation of the right to hold office from 7 to 10 years, if found guilty.

The Anticorruption Prosecution Office is exercising the criminal investigation.

We remind, that every person is presumed to be innocent until the final and irrevocable decision of the court is pronounced.