CHISINAU, April 23. /TASS/. Moldovan law enforcement officials have conducted 150 searches of opposition party representatives, seizing over a million dollars from them, Viktor Furtune, deputy head of Moldova’s National Anticorruption Center, said.
"On the night of April 22 to 23, 150 raids were conducted, 662,000 rubles (almost 7,090 dollars), 3,070 euros, 1,111,340 dollars and 128 mobile phones were seized. This is smuggling, carried out by two or more people in the interests of a criminal group. A criminal case has been initiated, so far no one has been arrested under it," he said. According to the deputy head, each of those transporting money had less than 10,000 dollars on them, meaning they didn't have to declare it, as it was less than the amount required by Moldovan law for declaration.
The day before, authorities used various pretexts to detain the participants of the Moscow Congress at the Chisinau airport for several hours and searched some of them. After this was done, they were released. Some people told reporters that small amounts of cash were seized from them.
Last week in Moscow, leaders of a number of Moldovan opposition parties announced that they were forming a political bloc. It will oppose President Maia Sandu and the ruling pro-European Party of Action and Solidarity, which controls the country's parliament and government.