Moldova: Three men charged after major cocaine seizure in Chișinău
Police in Chișinău, Moldova, have seized a large quantity of cocaine that was allegedly divided into doses and sold to drug users.
Three men, 45, 35, and 24, including a local business owner, face drug trafficking charges and up to 15 years in prison.
The Chișinău Municipal Prosecutor's Office, Botanica Division, announced that the criminal investigation is complete and the men have been formally indicted on drug trafficking charges.
According to the investigation, the 45-year-old man, the owner of a venue in the capital, allegedly worked with the 24-year-old and other individuals who have not yet been identified. They are accused of obtaining cocaine from unknown sources, in very large quantities, which they divided into doses and subsequently sold to users, most of whom were from Chișinău.
It is alleged that in April 2025, the two sold drugs to the third man, 35, at which point they were arrested by police.
A day later, during searches conducted at the residence of the business owner, police found over 270 grams of cocaine and an electronic scale.
The seized quantity is defined by law as "particularly large," the Prosecutor's Office said.
The two men, 45 and 24, are accused of drug trafficking in particularly large proportions, an offence for which they face up to 15 years in prison and a ban from practicing certain activities for up to five years.
The 35-year-old man is accused of possession of a large amount of drugs for personal use. He faces a fine of up to 35,000 lei, unpaid community service, or imprisonment for up to one year.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
