Raids in the file of a criminal organization based in Ukraine. The action involved over 150 law enforcement officers from the Republic of Moldova and the neighboring country
More than 150 law enforcement officers were involved in a large-scale operation, carried out in the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. 44 searches were carried out in the file of a criminal organization operating in Ukraine, reads a PCCOCS press release.
The law enforcement officers conducted simultaneous searches in the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, between November 29-30. Of these, 14 searches were conducted on five people in Cahul and Chisinau, who would have links with criminal groups in the Transnistrian region, and 30 searches were conducted on nine people in the Odesa region. The searches are held within a file that started in 2016, for the creation and management of a criminal organization, with its criminal groups active in the Transnistrian region. According to PCCOCS, the five people from the Republic of Moldova would have connections with these groups, as well as directly with their leader from Ukraine. Recently, law enforcement officers identified the communication of members of this criminal group with this 56-year-old leader from the neighboring country, who is to be announced as wanted by the Ukrainian authorities. The actions were carried out through the exchange of information between Europol and the Ukrainian authorities. They established that the 56-year-old Ukrainian, by prior agreement with a group of people, created a criminal organization with inter-regional ties, which was active on the territory of the city of Odesa and would have criminal links with the underworld in the Republic of Moldova, from left of the Nistru. The man who is to be announced wanted by the Ukrainian authorities, would be involved in the organization of contract killings, money extortion, drug sales, arms and ammunition smuggling, raider attacks, etc. According to the statement, as a result of the searches, goods, debt vouchers, pre-delivery stamps, accounting records, contracts for joint economic activities and motor vehicles, as well as illegally possessed weapons and ammunition were seized. The criminal investigation continues, under the leadership of PCCOCS prosecutors, in order to establish all the criminal aspects investigated.
