Two brothers aged 30 and 33 from Chisinau were arrested following a number of searches performed at currency exchange facilities on June 12. Through the agency of these facilities, the men performed transactions of millions of lei without registering them, IPN reports

Roman Moraru, of the General Police Inspectorate, told a news conference that as a result of searches carried out at three currency exchange facilities in Chisinau, Floresi and Hancesti, at suspects’ homes and in their cars, there was seized a sum of 1.5 million lei in different currencies.

One of the arrested men headed the criminal group, while the other one was an active member. They both were arrested when they were performing a transaction to the value of 600,000 lei. The group was identified last summer, but its members could be arrested only now. The group consists of five members who have accounts in almost all the banks of Moldova, registered in the names of relatives and acquaintances. The National Bank of Moldova and the State Main Tax Inspectorate were informed about this case.

“During the investigation, it was established that the men performed transactions with currency, provided services to transfer money to offshore companies and allowed thus smuggling contraband that was earlier sold in the absence of accounting documents,” said Roman Moraru.

The culprits face five to ten years in jail for money laundering.