Million-dollar smuggling: 14 cars stolen from France, discovered in the Republic of Moldova
Fourteen cars, worth a total of four million lei and believed to have been stolen from France, were discovered in the Republic of Moldova. Law enforcement officials announced the dismantling of a group involved in car smuggling after conducting 15 searches in Edineț, Anenii Noi, and Ialoveni. Six suspects, aged between 35 and 50, were targeted in this operation.
Two members of a smuggling group were detained, including an Azerbaijani citizen with a residence permit in France who is married to a Moldovan woman, and a man from Anenii Noi, as reported by the General Inspectorate of the Border Police.
Law enforcement agencies seized two Mercedes Sprinter minibuses, manufactured in 2021 and 2022, from Edinet. One of these vehicles was listed on the international wanted list and was part of a group of 18 vehicles stolen in France. The other minibus is believed to have been assembled from parts of similar vehicles also stolen in France.
Additionally, several other vehicles were seized in Edinet, including Renault, Citroen, Peugeot, and Ford models, as well as a Toyota taken in Chisinau. Another Mercedes Sprinter, used to transport cars from France to the Republic of Moldova, was seized in Ialoveni.
The authorities also confiscated documents related to car sales and purchases from the European Union, along with cash totaling 63,000 lei, 450 euros, and 3,000 lei (RON).
Between October and November, border police and PCCOCS prosecutors seized four other vehicles linked to the same smuggling scheme, all of which were internationally wanted by France. Two of these vehicles had falsified odometer readings.
One of the detained individuals was placed in preventive detention, and the same measure was requested for the other, pending a court ruling. Investigations are ongoing to identify and hold all those involved accountable.
