Eighteen civil servants, including the mayor and deputy mayor of Orhei, as well as the chief architect, ascertaining agents and a number of district councilors were the subjects of searches on Friday. Four of them were detained. Officers of the National Anticorruption Center The actions took place in a criminal case initiated for passive corruption and violation of the management of the financial means of political parties or electoral funds, IPN reports.

It was determined that a number of officials of the Orhei mayor’s office systematically accepted and received corrupt proceeds from various people holding public posts and from members of an organized criminal group that acted in the interests of a political party, the NAC said.

The suspects also allegedly accepted and received illicit remuneration to support certain parties and politicians, but also to participate as organizers and coordinators in various political activities.

It was earlier reported that the mayor and deputy mayor of Orhei municipality were detained, but the information was refuted by the NAC.