The head of the Bălți Environmental Protection Inspectorate, an inspector at the Strășeni Environmental Protection Inspectorate, an employee at the Chișinău Environment Agency, and the founder of an environmental investigation organization are suspected of running a corruption scheme.

The National Anticorruption Center said the suspects have systematically solicited bribes of up to 50,000 lei from businesses to facilitate the issuance of environmental authorizations. They also allegedly made it a condition for authorization seekers to hire certain favored experts.

The Center today conducted 13 searches to seize supposed bribes totaling 1.3 million lei.

The officials are to be taken into custody for hearings and further investigation proceedings.