Drug network run from Penitentiary No. 13: five in custody, including female inmate
A criminal group that specialized in selling synthetic drugs via the Telegram app was dismantled by law enforcement officers. The operation was coordinated by a 27-year-old woman, who was previously convicted of drug trafficking and is currently serving her sentence at Penitentiary No. 13 in Chisinau.
For two months, authorities monitored the activities of four men, aged between 20 and 28, who were originally from the Transnistrian region but temporarily residing in Chisinau. They were involved as couriers, warehouse workers, and distributors within a cross-border drug network operating in both the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.
Investigators revealed that a woman, who had illegal access to a mobile phone while incarcerated, was managing an online drug store on Telegram. She coordinated the entire operation, recruited members, and organized logistics for distribution. The woman rented an apartment in Sângera for the four men, which served as both their residence and a drug warehouse.
Under her direction, the suspects travelled to the southern part of the country to acquire large quantities of mephedrone from hideouts near the Ukrainian border. The drugs were subsequently portioned and concealed in various cities and districts of the Republic of Moldova.
Following searches, three suspects were detained at their home in Sângera, where authorities discovered 2 kg of mephedrone, 1 kg of marijuana, zip-lock bags, precision scales, adhesive tape, and mobile phones used in criminal activities. The fourth man was arrested in the act of retrieving 1.5 kg of mephedrone from a hiding place.
Additionally, authorities searched Cell No. 13 in the penitentiary and found a high-performance phone and a SIM card that the woman used to coordinate the network.
The total value of the seized drugs is estimated to exceed 2 million lei on the black market.
The four men were placed under pre-trial arrest for 30 days, while the woman was given suspect status since she is already in custody. Under the law, individuals guilty of such crimes face sentences ranging from 7 to 15 years in prison.
