Moldovan border guards and customs officers seize 45 gold bars from two Ukrainians

Interception of precious metals smuggling

Joint efforts by the border service and customs authorities of Moldova prevented the illegal movement of a significant quantity of precious metals. Inspectors discovered undeclared cargo in the hand luggage of two Ukrainian citizens who were planning a trip to Egypt.

Details of the discovered batch

During the passenger inspection, it was established that the valuables were distributed between two individuals:

• A 59-year-old woman travelling on the Chișinău – Sharm el-Sheikh flight was found with 26 gold bars.
• A 22-year-old man flying on the Chișinău – Istanbul – Sharm el-Sheikh route was found with 19 gold bars, one silver bar, a silver eagle statuette, and a one-euro coin.

Legal consequences

All items found that had not been declared were seized. Administrative protocols were drawn up against the offenders, and the procedure of special confiscation may be applied to the seized valuables.