A number of 28 employees of the Tudora and Palanca customs posts were arrested on suspicion of passive corruption. These include customs inspectors, shift heads, post chiefs and the head and deputy head of the Bender Customs Office. They were all remanded in custody for 72 hours, IPN reports.

According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, the arrests were made following large-scale searches at the Tudora and Palanca customs posts andthe homes of the suspects in the morning of September 30. Investigation groups carried out searches to gather evidence about illegal collection of money by customs inspectors from persons who transported agricultural food products to Ukraine for not performing customs checks.

It was determined that the money was transmitted by the inspectors to shift heads who, for their part, passed it on to customs posts’ heads. Ultimately, the money reached the head of the Bender Customs Office.

The suspects face up to ten years in jail.