Police capture over 10t of smuggled food

Police discovered over 9 tonnes of bell pepper and 1.5 tonnes of frozen meat estimated at a total of 140,000 lei, which was smuggled into the country through the Transnistrian region, the Interiors Ministry reported. The peppers were allegedly bought in Ukraine and in order to avoid customs duties, the persons who were carrying the goods, a 30-year-old man and a 41-year-old woman, came to the internal customs checkpoint at Vadul lui Voda, where they produced a supposedly fake certificate which said they had bought the produce locally. The alleged smugglers could face fines up to 6,000 lei or up to 2 years imprisonment. The vehicle carrying the meat was arrested on the roadway Anenii Noi - Chisinau. Investigations revealed the merchandise was smuggled into the country through the Transnistrian region, in avoidance of the internal customs checkpoint at Hagimus.