The police seized leather articles to the value of 2 million lei that were supposedly smuggled into Moldova through the Transnistrian region as a result of a number of searches, IPN reports.

The Customs Service said searches were performed at eight retail outlets in Chisinau and at the homes of their managers as well as at two storehouses owned by these.

The illegal activities had been monitored for about two months. One of the investigated managers was placed under arrest for 72 hours. The other persons concerned do not yet have a legal position in this case.

Smuggling carries a penalty of three to ten years behind bars.