The former ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to Moscow, Andrei Neguța, was acquitted in the case in which he was accused of smuggling with anabolic steroids. The decision was made by the judges of the Court of Căușeni. The driver of the diplomatic representation’s car was also acquitted.
The judges found that “the act does not meet the elements of the crime”.
The attempted smuggling was disrupted at the Palanca customs post in December 2020. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAEIE) stated at the time that the car in which several boxes of anabolic steroids were discovered was on an official mission on the Moscow – Chisinau – Moscow route, from 2-5 December 2020, based on a request from MAEIE from the Embassy of the Republic of Moldova in the Russian Federation, in order to deliver current diplomatic mail to Chisinau.
MAEIE announced at the time that it had initiated internal investigation measures and requested explanations from the employees of the diplomatic mission involved.
After the seizure of the merchandise, the authorities estimated the value of the confiscated anabolic steroids at over 8.4 million lei. In addition to the anabolic steroids, authorities also found psychotropic substances in the examined goods.
The case was sent to trial on December 8, 2021, by PCCOCS. Andrei Neguța previously stated that his detention and the filing of the case were politically motivated and pleaded not guilty.