A veterinarian from the Food Safety Agency from Bălți, criminally investigated by the NAC and anti-corruption prosecutors in a case of abuse of office

A veterinarian from the laboratory diagnostic service of the Territorial Directorate on Food Safety in Bălți is being criminally investigated by the NAC officers and prosecutors, in a case of the abuse of office. The official is suspected of having devised a scheme by which he had abusively seized hundreds of kilograms of meat on the pretext that they were taken as laboratory samples when issuing veterinary authorizations, which would have caused considerable damage to businesses.

According to the materials of the case, the scheme worked as follows: the economic agents from Bălți municipality brought the meat to the laboratory, which was to be sold in the markets of the city, to be tested and to be issued sanitary-veterinary authorizations. The veterinarian allegedly sampled larger quantities of meat than required by law, and the surplus meat was misused and contrary to his duties. It was later sold to trusted people. Thus, it was established that between January 2021 and February 2022, the official would have collected tens of kilograms of meat daily, causing considerable damage to businesses.

In order to document the case in all aspects and to strengthen the evidence, this morning, the NAC officers and the anti-corruption prosecutors carried out criminal investigations in the office, the car and at the suspect's home. During the search of the veterinarian's home, cash was found, as follows: about 15,000 euros, over 15,000 dollars, 7,600 Swiss francs and 3,000 Moldovan lei, the origin of which is to be determined. The money was held in a metal safe in the man's house, and its total value exceeds 700,000 lei.

As a result, the suspect was detained for 72 hours and escorted to the NAC for questioning.

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

The Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office is conducting the criminal investigation.