The former chief of the so-called Transnistrian customs service Yuri Gervaziuk was allegedly abducted by persons dressed in police uniforms on a national road in Anenii Noi district on February 16. The Ministry of the Interior said it does not possess information about this case, but the Ministry’s Internal Protection and Anticorruption Service started an internal inquiry, IPN reports.

According to 1news.md, an eyewitness related that Gervaziuk’s car was stopped by persons wearing police uniforms. These beat and tied him and took him to the Transnistrian region in the trunk. Persons close to Gervaziuk expressed their surprise at the easiness by which the ex-functionary was kidnapped and taken to Transnistria.

“Probably, the new administration controlled by the Transnistrian oligarchs of Sheriff Holding this way settle an old score with Yuri Vitalievich (e.n. Gervaziuk) because last year this made public facts that were hidden by many, about how Sheriff didn’t pay about US$1 billion in excises and import duties into the Transnistrian budget during six years,” the eyewitness stated for 1news.md.

The Ministry of the Interior said it took action following press reports about the February 16 incident that involved a person from Tiraspol city. Its Internal Protection and Anticorruption Service launched an internal inquiry, but no details are yet known.