Two policemen accused of extortion

Two criminal police inspectors of the Ciocana Police Commissariat stand trial on charges of passive corruption. They both are 26 years old and have more than 5 years of work experience, Prosecutor General’s Office said in a press release. In August 2010, the inspectors under the false pretext that they are looking for a stolen cellphone have obtained a search-warrant for a young man’s house in Chisinau. During the search, the policemen have told the man that they have confirmed information about his drug sale. They asked him for 10,000 lei so they wouldn’t disclose that fact to his parents and co-workers, and the man complied. In May 2011 one of the policemen has threatened to jail a young woman suspected of stealing a cellphone, and demanded 800 euros. The policeman received 200 euros and 250 U.S. dollars from the suspect the very same day, yet he demanded the full sum. The prosecutors have filed a request to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, asking for the policemen’s suspension. The case was sent to court.