The National Anticorruption Directorate (DNA) sent in court 69 border police and customs officers (38 on preventive arrest) from the Moravita, Foeni and Deta border checkpoints, on corruption charges, reads a DNA press release quoted by Mediafax. The defendants are accused of taking bribes in excess of EUR 82,000 in order to allow the smuggling of cigarettes worth EUR 3.3 M from Serbia.
According to the act of accusation, during October 2010 – January 2011 a criminal group was formed at the Moravita and Foeni border checkpoints controlled by the Timis County Border Police Inspectorate (PCTF). Its members were involved in acts of corruption and contraband with cigarettes from Serbia. Prosecutors say that customs employees received an average EUR 50 for each box of cigarettes they allowed to Romania illegally. The money thus collected used to be evenly split between shift managers, who later paid each policeman the sum corresponding to his contribution in the smuggling operation. The case was sent to the Timisoara Court of Appeals.
