An agent of the Transnistrian de facto customs authorities from Dubasari town was formally accused by the Moldovan prosecutors of committing an arbitrary action and assuming false authority when seizing a man's car and cargo and fining him.

The Prosecutor General's Office said that in August 2010 a Moldovan citizen driving his car near the village of Cocieri was pulled over by the Transnistrian agent, who claimed the man was carrying farm produce in breach of the Transnistrian customs rules and seized the car and cargo.

Taken to the so-called customs office in Dubasari, the man was asked to pay $2,000. Further, the agent fined the man for 50% of the cargo's value.

Earlier this month, the agent was arrested by the Moldovan authorities and is now investigated in custody. The prosecutors will also investigate the possible complicity of a Moldovan border police officer in this case.