The countdown for criminal activities in games of chance and other areas has begun, first deputy chairman of the Democratic Party Vlad Plahotniuc, executive coordinator of the Council of the governing coalition, has warned, quoted by IPN. The warning comes in the wake of the closing of over 150 gaming halls last weekend and his previously declared intention to personally become involved in the crackdown on games of chance flowing signals from people.
“You signaled the problem and the authorities acted correctly and categorically. We started by closing the gaming halls and this activity will be resumed only when it is strictly regulated and there are well-thought-our control methods as regards hall location and payment of state taxes or the respecting of the ban on child access to such places. To understand what criminal group orchestrated this activity, it is enough to see how they tried to corrupt the licensing system after the official intervention in this sector was made public. They hoped to gain one more year this way and to oppose the measures taken by the institutions. These individuals must not only pay the damages caused to the state, but must also answer before the law for the way in which they tried to extend their criminal activity. The functionaries who helped them must also answer before the law,” stated Vlad Plahotniuc, who thanks the people for involvement.
According to him, drug taking is another serious problem that reached worrisome proportions though this issue is not discussed publicly much. “Regrettably, this phenomenon is increasingly present among children. An adult who provides a child with drugs destroys a life and becomes thus a criminal who should be treated as such. The functionaries from state institutions, instead of fighting this crime, protect these networks of drug traffickers: they must be identified and jailed. We witness devastating dramas – parents who find out that their children have been taken drugs for several years, destroyed families, destroyed lives. My message for all those involved in this criminal activity is clear: the countdown began. Only time is needed to catch them. A short period of time. This subject is on my agenda and, together with colleagues from the governing coalition and institutions, we will do our best to stop this phenomenon, while those who took part in its development wil answer before the law,” said the politician.
On October 22, 159 gaming halls were sealed up by the police following a decision to suspend their work after the Licensing Chamber informed about the suspension of licenses for games of chance. The press reported that those who own such halls didn’t comply with the decision and the police had to intervene.
In the same connection, five officials of the Licensing Chamber, including the institution’s vice director, were arrested following searches performed by the National Anticorruption Center, IPN reports.
