Law enforcement conducted searches in Chisinau and several districts, uncovering cigarettes valued at over 5 million lei. The 251,000 packs had both excise stamps and unstamped varieties. Two men are under investigation for tobacco product smuggling, IPN reports.

According to the General Police Inspectorate, part of the cigarettes was intended for sale in Moldova, while the rest were planned for smuggling into European countries for commercial purposes.

During the searches, authorities also discovered 50,000 euros, believed to be proceeds from the suspects' criminal activities.

The criminal investigation is ongoing. The suspects, aged 35 and 54, are currently under investigation without detention. Under the law, they face potential prison sentences of 4 to 10 years.