Seventeen persons were arrested in Ukraine and Moldova on suspicion that they formed part of a criminal group that intended to carry out a murder order. According to the police, the murder target was the leader of the Democratic Party Vlad Plahotniuc, IPN reports.
Prosecutor Vitalie Busuioc, in a press briefing on April 8, said eight persons were arrested in Moldova on April 7. Two of these are Ukrainians. The other six suspects are Moldovan citizens who have also the nationality of other states. Most of the suspects have a criminal record and committed serious offenses. During searches, the police found four grenade launchers, guns, radio stations, computers and camouflage objects. Simultaneously with the arrests in Moldova, arrests were also made in Ukraine. Two of the nine suspects arrested there have special training and fought in Donbas.
The prosecutor said the murder was ordered by two Moldovan nationals, one of whom is in Moscow and is a criminal authority both in Moldova and in Russia. A sum of US$200,000 was to be paid for the murder. Half of the sum was already transmitted.
Head of the National Investigations Inspectorate Ion Yakimov said the attack was to be committed in the Global Business Center with shootings and grenade explosions. It was established that the planning lasted long. In the period, the suspects informed themselves about the hour at which the target comes to and leaves his office. The suspects prepared a car with Lithuanian license numbers by which they intended to flee Moldova after the murder.
The suspects face up to 20 years in jail.
