General Prosecutor’s Office detailed the weapons found in the truck stopped at Leușeni–Albița
The weapons found in a vehicle detained at the Leușeni - Albița border crossing on the night of November 20 were smuggled into the Republic of Moldova multiple times by a "carrier" who regularly drove a freight truck from Ukraine. According to the Prosecutor General's Office, the truck that customs officials detained contained 26 pieces of ammunition, which included a complete set, a surface-to-air launcher, and a "Geran-2" drone.
According to prosecutors, the ammunition was taken from an unidentified warehouse in Ukraine and transported across the border camouflaged in several successive trips.
"The ammunition was smuggled into the territory of the Republic of Moldova with the help of a carrier who periodically traveled with a freight truck from Ukraine. They were picked up in several trips, two units at a time, from unknown individuals," the Prosecutor General's Office stated.
Once in the country, the weapons were quickly handed over to accomplices before being prepared for export under false pretenses.
Crime evidence seized by law enforcement officers:
- 18 type 2 ammunition components
- 8 type 1 complete ammunition units
- One ground-to-air launcher
- One "Geran-2" drone, which was dismantled after being shot down, with the engine disassembled and lacking any pyrotechnic elements.
Customs documents were prepared for "metal articles" destined for Israel. The Prosecutor's Office confirms that all individuals involved in preparing these documents are facing charges.
"The individuals responsible for the export customs documents, including the exporter, the customs broker, and the carrier, have been identified as accused and are under arrest," the Prosecutor's Office added.
State prosecutors have also rejected speculation regarding the weapons originating from military warehouses in the Republic of Moldova.
"It has not been established that the weapons come from military or strategic warehouses, such as the Cobasna warehouse or those of the National Army," the Prosecutor General's Office noted in its press release.
On the night of November 20, a container truck loaded with weapons was stopped at the Albita customs office around 01:30 AM. The driver, a citizen of the Republic of Moldova, claimed that the destination was Israel and described the cargo as "metal elements."
The Customs Service of the Republic of Moldova reported that suspicions were raised by a Moldovan customs officer, who communicated these concerns to colleagues in Romania. Consequently, the truck was scanned by the Romanian authorities in accordance with established procedures.
The truck was sealed, and the driver, a Moldovan citizen from the Transnistrian region, was detained in Romania. His lawyer, Alexandru Agavriloaiei, stated that the driver was unaware of the actual contents of the cargo.
In addition, three individuals were detained in the Republic of Moldova: the exporter, the customs broker, and the carrier. They were placed in preventive detention for 30 days.
Law enforcement officers determined that the goods had been loaded onto the truck in Chisinau.
