The Russian press reported that Grigore Caramalac, alias “Bulgarul”, who is wanted for blackmail and murder attempt, was arrested.
Contacted by IPN, the head of the Interpol’s National Central Bureau in Moldova Viorel Țentiu said they familiarized themselves with the Russian press reports that were later taken over by the Moldovan press. They made approaches to the counterparts from the Russian Federation. “We also have an official response that the given citizen was located at the Domodedovo Airport. However, given that he also has the nationality of the Russian Federation, he cannot be extradited to the Republic of Moldova and cannot be arrested,” explained Viorel Țentiu.
He noted that Grigore Caramalac hasn’t been arrested, but only located. As to his investigation in the criminal cases started in Moldova, Viorel Țentiu said it is the prosecution bodies that should pronounce on this.
Contacted by IPN for a comment, the spokeswoman for the Prosecutor General’s Office Maria Vieru said that Moldova so far hasn’t received an official notification of the arrest of the wanted person. “Depending on the information that will be presented by the responsible authorities of the Russian Federation, we will decide the subsequent steps, in accordance with the legal procedures,” stated Maria Vieru.
Last autumn, the Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime and Special Cases said that arrest warrants for 30 days were issued in both of the criminal cases started against Grigore Caramalac – blackmail and murder attempt. Grigore Caramalac’s actions were investigated by officers of the Organized Crime Investigation Division of the National Investigation Inspectorate, in concert with prosecutors of the Prosecutor’s Office for Organized Crime and Special Cases, in 2016-2017. “The prosecutor decided to drop the charges and annul the warrant for the arrest of Grigore Caramalac in a criminal case that was earlier transmitted to the law enforcement agencies of Russia. This case is not related to the criminal cases handled in 2016-2017,” noted the institution.
