A Turkish citizen, wanted internationally and sentenced to five years in prison for rape, has been detained in the Republic of Moldova. The operation took place on March 4 and was carried out by officers from the General Inspectorate for Migration and the National Investigation Inspectorate, IPN reports.

The man was located and apprehended by Moldovan authorities and is currently in custody for 72 hours, during which legal extradition procedures will be initiated.

According to the General Inspectorate for Migration, the detention is part of a broader plan to identify internationally wanted individuals attempting to use Moldova to evade criminal punishment.