A shipment of counterfeit cigarettes valued at over 1,000,000 lei was confiscated during an operation conducted in central Moldova. Two individuals - a 42-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman - were detained following searches carried out by officers from the "Center" Investigations Directorate of the National Investigation Inspectorate (INI).

The suspects were involved in the illegal sale of cigarettes lacking the necessary documentation of origin, as required by law. During the investigation, police discovered 25,000 packs of cigarettes with an estimated value of over 1,000,000 lei, as well as 300,000 lei in cash, believed to be proceeds from their illegal activities.

Authorities also seized specialized equipment during the searches, including radio stations and devices used to detect and bypass other contraband control measures. These tools are suspected to have been used to facilitate the criminal activity. It is also believed that the counterfeit cigarettes were intended for illegal export.

Prosecutors emphasized that the illegal trade in tobacco products represents a significant threat to both economic and public health security.