More than 155,000 euros as well as a number of counterfeit passports and legal documents were seized during the police operation to arrest the two Moldovans sought with a red ad by Interpol.

This is Vladimir Plahotniuc, a former party leader in Moldova, who is accused by the authorities of his homeland of fraud and embezzlement of tens of millions of dollars.

Regarding the second man arrested, he is alleged to be a close associate of Plahotniuc, who has also served as a member of the Moldovan Parliament.

According to EL.AS, the two Moldovan nationals, aged 59 and 38, internationally persecuted by the red ads of the Moldovan and Russia authorities respectively, were arrested today, Tuesday, July 22, 2025, by police officers of the Criminal Criminal Directorate and Criminal Directorate.

In particular, the 59 -year -old was looking for a criminal organization, black money laundering and fraud against the banking system, while the 38 -year -old, for involvement in a criminal organization, as well as attempted illegal preparation, trafficking or drug trafficking and psychotropic substances.

How did ELAS arrive in their traces

More specifically, after evaluating information that came to the Directorate of International Police Cooperation of the Hellenic Police Headquarters, in the context of a search for a possible irregular issue of identity documents to a foreign person, it was found – through the crossing of data from the application of BioHub of Interpol – that it was 59.

Immediately established a special operational group of police officers from the Division of Prosecution of Criminal Crimes Against Life and Ownership, from the investigation of the house where the 59 -year -old resided in the southern suburbs.

As it turned out, the 59 -year -old was staying with the 38 -year -old persecuted, who, in order to minimize the risk of their location, remained much of the day in the house. Characteristic of the precautionary measures they took was that, with their slightest suspicion of their monitoring, they were changing a country of residence.

They “crushed” them in “El. Venizelos »

As part of the operation, both were identified at Athens International Airport “El. Venizelos’, where they were immobilized with the assistance of the Airport authorities before leaving for a third country. When checking their data, it was found that they used fake identification documents, with alleged principles of issuing Bulgaria, Romania and Russia.

What was found in investigations

Physical research was followed, where the 59 -year -old found and confiscated:

  • Bulgarian authorities’ travel documents depicting the same with different identity elements,
  • the sum of -2.670 -euro,
  • computer,
  • -2- mobile phones and
  • Numerous digital data storage (USB).

At the same time, the 38 -year -old was found and confiscated:

  • Travel documents of Romanian authorities depicting the same with different identity elements,
  • fake long -term Romanian authorities with a photo depicting him,
  • fake Driving Driving Bulgarian authorities with a photo depicting the 59 -year -old,
  • the sum of -1.628 -euro and -401- dollars and
  • -2- Mobile phones.

From the subsequent investigation into the home they were staying, they found and seized:

  • the sum of -155,000 -euro,
  • -17- fake passports and identities from various countries,
  • Data Storage Devices (USB, SSD) with special security software,
  • numerous mobile phones and computers,
  • -4- luxurious brand watches, particularly high value and
  • IXE This was used exclusively for his 59 -year -old commute.

It is noted that the 59 -year -old is accused by the Moldovan authorities of leadership of a criminal organization (2009–2019) in order to undermine the Moldovan banking system and the embezzlement of more than 190 million euros by commercial banks, through a network of offshore companies. At the same time, in the period 2014-2020, it allegedly legalized revenue of illegal origin, transferring large sums of money from a state operator to a private company, through a network of a Network-founded network founded exclusively for this purpose.

Regarding the 38 -year -old, he was accused by Russia’s authorities of participating in June 2012 in a criminal organization operating in the international large -scale drug smuggling, carrying quantities through transnational routes.

The detainees are expected to be referred to the competent prosecutors.