Uranium smuggling case sent to court

As investigation on the “2011 Uranium Smuggling” case formally ended, prosecutors sent it to be heard by the Chisinau Court of Appeals. Three men will stand trial on suspicion of being involved in an international criminal scheme, the Prosecutor General's Office said in a press release. In late June, police arrested 5 persons for attempting to engage in contraband with uranium-235. According to prosecutors, the suspects purchased about one kilogram of the substance which they subsequently intended to sell to foreign buyers for 32 million euros. Among the three suspects, there is a 38-year-old woman holding the citizenship of Russia and domiciled in Tiraspol. The other two, ages 50 and 57, are Moldovan nationals. Other members are wanted by the police in a separate set of proceedings. In February, the Prosecutor General's Office ended investigation on the “2010 Uranium Smuggling” case, which involved 3 persons attempting to sell 1.8kg of uranium-238 for 9 million euros. Two men were sentenced by a district court to terms of 1 year in prison, and are currently released. A third man, who was formerly and Interior Ministry employee, was sentenced to 4 years' probation. The Prosecutor General's Office said it would appeal the sentences for being too mild.