Moldovan law enforcement has detained 11 taxi drivers suspected of smuggling Ukrainian men across the border, the country's Prosecutor's Office for Combating Organized Crime and Special Cases reported, as cited by the Moldovan outlet ZDG. Investigators believe approximately 400 men may have entered Moldova through the scheme.
The operation
According to the investigation, taxi drivers charged between $6,000 and $10,000 per crossing. Border crossings were carried out through several Moldovan-Ukrainian checkpoints, including via the left bank of the Dniester River — a route through the Transnistrian-controlled territory.
The drivers did not simply transport passengers: prosecutors say they coordinated the entire process. They arranged visits to Moldova's General Inspectorate for Migration on behalf of their clients and coached the men on what to tell border police officers.
The route
Once men had obtained the necessary documents, the operation shifted to its next stage. "After receiving the necessary documents, the taxi drivers transported the Ukrainians to southern Moldova — to the exit points from Cahul to Romania. There, other members of the group met them and transferred them to the European Union," the prosecutor's office said, as quoted by ZDG.
The pipeline thus ran from Ukrainian border crossings through Chișinău and Cahul, and onward into the EU via Romania.
As part of the investigation, law enforcement conducted approximately 30 searches across Chișinău and Cahul. Seized items included vehicles, electronic devices, weapons, ammunition, and cash.
The suspects, aged between 27 and 56, have been charged with organising illegal migration. A court ordered eight of the accused held for 30 days; the remaining suspects received 20-day detention orders. The investigation is ongoing.
