Most notorious arrests, crimes and criminal cases in 2012

{Year 2012 in Facts and Figures. Article originally published on December 26} [January 1] A 18-year-old local man was gunned down by a Russian peacekeeper as he was trying to drive through a checkpoint across the Nistru near the town of Vadul lui Voda. According to the peacekeepers, the man ignored repeated summons to stop and the peacekeeper opened fire. The man died shortly in hospital. A Russian court cleared the peacekeeper of all charges. [January 24] A grenade exploded in Tiraspol in an area where the apartments of many representatives of the Transnistrian de facto authorities are located. The explosion occurred in the building where the region's former intelligence chief Vladimir Antiufeev lives. No one was hurt. [February 23] The Anti-Drug Department discovers a new a type of illicit drugs in Moldova. The drug is a synthetic cannabinoid known as JWH-018. [April 2] A Soroca man, 27, was arrested on charges of raping a 4-year-old girl to death.  [April 10] The car of the director of the energy regulatory agency ANRE exploded at a parking lot in Chisinau. Nicolae Raileanu was timely helped out of the blazing car by passers-by, escaping with minor injuries. He later told reporters that he had received a number of threatening letters. [April 12] The police arrested a group of arms traffickers in Chisinau as they were trying to sell F1 grenades.  [April 19] The driver responsible for a car-train accident that killed 8 people was sentenced to 9 ½ years in prison. In December, his appeal was rejected. [May 2] The mother of Communist MP Grigore Petrenco was arrested in Russia after allegedly embezzling 500,000 lei from a Chisinau school which she headed.  [May 2 ] Four Ciocana police officers were sentenced to 3 years' probation for torture.   [May 7] The head of the Chisinau Private Carriers Association was arrested on charges of bribery. Ion Mamaliga denied the allegations. [May 7] An internationally wanted Turkish terrorist was arrested at the Chisinau Airport. [May 8] A Ceadir-Lunga councilman was found dead in the woods on the town's outskirts. It is believed that Sergei Ganev was shot at a local bank where he was keeping his money by the bank's director, who allegedly stole 4 million lei from Ganev's deposit box and fled to Russia. [June 11] Two men were each sentenced to 22 years in prison for killing the bodyguard of businessmen Oleg Voronin, the son of ex-President Vladimir Voronin. The victim was also the director of a firm that obtained a 50-year rent for 700 hectares of woods in a suspicions deal. [July 5] A police officer was sentenced to 18 years in prison after murdering a civilian in 2010. [July 7] A man, 50, was arrested on charges of raping the 8-year-old daughter of his domestic partner. He was later sentenced to 19 years in prison. Recently he also became the first man convicted of a child sex offense to undergo chemical castration in Moldova. [July 25] The Anticorruption Prosecutor's Office sends to court the case of a senior specialist at the Chisinau Architecture Department who allegedly demanded a 10,000 euros bribe.   [July 30] The Anticorruption Center initiated criminal proceedings against the head of the Customs Service on allegations by a businessman that Roman Revenco demanded a large bribe for his consent to a EU-funded project. [August 5] A procession in Balti calling for unification with Romania degenerated into violence after counter-protesters threw stones at the marchers and beat them. Administrative sanctions were imposed on over 150 people. [August 15] The police arrested Constantin Varzari and Boris Olan, known in the criminal world as Porthos and Borea the Sheep. They are believed to be two criminal kingpins. [August 22] A man attempted to hurl a Molotov cocktail at the motorcade of German Chancellor Angela Merkel during her visit to Chisinau. It was found that the man had been under the influence of drugs. [September 18] Five Chisinau City Hall officials, including Deputy Mayor Nistor Grozavu, were charged with abuse of authority after signing the certificate for a new apartment building in Ciocana which had been found to be unsafe. [September 28] A man accused of committing a cruel double murder in Ialoveni in 2010 was extradited to Moldova by Turkey.  [October 26] A former deputy warden narrowly escaped death after accidentally discovering a tripwire grenade in his car. Albert Puiu believed this was an attempt on his life, which might be related to disclosures he made as a witness in a criminal case involving 14 correctional officers. [November 23] The mayor of a village in Calarasi district was arrested on charges of engaging in racketeering activity. In particular, he allegedly tried to take over a business, or at least obtain a bribe, by having his men threaten and torture its owner. [November 29] A car belonging to the Customs Service exploded in a Chisinau yard. The driver was hospitalized.  [December 14] A Moldovan truck full of contraband cigarettes was stopped at the border with Romania. Later, five people, including four Moldovan customs officers, were arrested. [Elena Nistor, Info-Prim Neo]