A total of 118 million lei was legalized through a money laundering scheme applied by two national companies. In a communiqué, the National Anticorruption Center says that as a result of 20 searches at offices and storehouses of the companies, the Center’s officers established that the goods traded by the firms were mentioned on paper only, IPN reports.

It was also determined that the companies caused damage of over 7 million lei to the budget by avoiding paying VAT.

A criminal case was started over money laundering and tax evasion. The company managers face up to ten years in jail.