MOSCOW, April 8. /TASS/. The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine in the Odessa region has intercepted an attempt to smuggle the relics of 80 saints and church utensils to Moldova, the agency’s press service reported on its Telegram channel on Saturday.

"At the Tabaki checkpoint, border guards and customs officials uncovered a reliquary with the relics of 80 saints, an icon, and an altar stand," the agency noted.

According to it, all these items were supposed to be taken out of the country by a Moldovan national on the instructions of his friend from Odessa to be delivered to a church in Moldova ostensibly for holidays. The officials noted that the reliquary was being transported carelessly with some items breaking loose and falling out.

Law enforcement opened a criminal case on illegal trafficking and confiscated the items.