Seven customs inspectors and a number of individuals are investigated for acts of corruption. Following searches at the Chisinau International Airport, three of the customs officers were detained for 72 hours, while the others are being investigated at large. According to the National Anticorruption Center, the suspects set up a criminal scheme through which they demanded money from passengers to facilitate the illegal bringing of various goods into or out of the country, IPN reports.
The customs inspectors are suspected of having demanded and accepted funds from passengers in amounts of $50 to $1,000 to allow them to bring or take goods into and out of the country, bypassing the procedures for paying taxes in accordance with the legal provisions.
In connection with the investigative measures, the Customs Service said that promoting integrity and combating corruption among customs officials is a priority and a fundamental element for good governance and modern and efficient customs administration. “The persons pursuing another interest, to the detriment of the public interest exercised honestly and according to the law, have no place in the customs authority and, in this regard, additional efforts will be made and cooperation with the responsible institutions will be stepped up in order to identify and counteract cases of corruption within the Customs Service,” said the institution.
