Eight Maine Coon cats found smuggled in a coach's luggage compartment
Smuggling of purebred cats at Tudora, Ștefan Vodă district. Customs officers found eight Maine Coon cats, valued at 100,000 lei, after they were illegally brought into the Republic of Moldova.
Law enforcement officers stopped a Yutong coach for inspection, driven by a 44-year-old Moldovan national. The vehicle had previously crossed the border via the Palanca customs post.
During the inspection, officers found eight cats with certificates of origin (pedigrees) in the luggage compartment. Checks revealed that the animals had not been declared to customs authorities as required by law.
After authorities discovered the irregularities, they seized the animals, and the driver faces a fine for a regulatory violation.
Investigations are ongoing to establish all the circumstances of the case.
