The State Tax Service last year collected slightly over 7 million lei from the sale of confiscated assets, as opposed to 22 million in 2017. In a response to an inquiry made by IPN News Agency, the State Tax Service’s director Sergey Puşcuţa said the discrepancy is due to the fact that foreign currency in considerable amounts was  transferred under the management of the Service in 2017.

The assets transmitted to the Service are confiscated through courts of law based on rulings. The collected amounts come mainly from the sale of currency, units of transport and industrial goods. There are also sold seized foodstuff, alcoholic beverages and tobacco products.

The assets are sold by business entities based on a consignation contract and these entities can thus benefit from a sales commission. If the business entity has the status of buyer, the State Tax Service sells the goods based on a sale and purchase agreement.

If the businesses are not interested in buying confiscated assets, the Service makes new price offers. If these are not sold again, the goods are transmitted free to state institutions.

The Material Reserves Agency is transmitted food, oil and industrial products for supplementing the state reserve. The Public Property Agency receives privately owned land that is turned into state property. The National Museum of Archeology and History of Moldova gets articles that contain precious metals with a historical, scientific, artistic or another cultural value.

The state institutions that care for children come into possession of books with library stamps and those without commercial aspect that can be yet used and also of illustrations for children. The assets that are not in demand on the market are transferred to child protection, reintegration and family support divisions, children’s homes and old people’s homes.

The tobacco products, medicines, noxious substances, chemicals and other produces that are harmful to the environment are destroyed, as are the goods that cannot be classed as usable waste.