A call was made this morning to claim a bomb had been planted at the Norther Bus Station in Chisinau. The police soon held a 36-year-old man as he was having drinks not far away from the Station.

Following checks at the Station, the threat was ruled a hoax.

The number of hoax bomb threats has dramatically surged in recent months, with over 880 sites falsely targeted since the beginning of the year. The costs of responding to such incidents has amounted to 2.2 million lei and counting.

Making a false bomb threat is punishable by fines ranging from 27,500 to 42,500 lei, up to 240 hours of community service or up to 24 months in jail.