A criminal group was tracked down when this tried to sell 35 kg of white mercury that was smuggled into Moldova from Russia. According to representatives of the Prosecutor General’s Office, this is the largest amount of mercury seized so far, IPN reports.

Three men aged between 58 and 65 from Chisinau and Cahul were arrested when they attempted to sell the contraband mercury to an officer under cover for 1 million lei.

The arrest was made on the Taraclia-Comrat road. A container with white mercury was found in the car of two suspects. On the black market, this quantity of mercury costs 3 to 4 million lei. Simultaneously, the police officers arrested a man from Cahul who transmitted the container with white mercury to his accomplices from Chisinau. At his home, the police found and seized €10,000.

Interim prosecutor of Chisinau municipality Igor Popa does not rule out the possibility that this network has more connections.