Former Siret Customs Chief To Be Investigated At Large For Corruption

05.04.2011 By Ioana Tudor

The High Court of Justice on Tuesday ruled that Aurel Anea, former chief of the Siret crossing point in northeastern Romania, and 44 border police officers indicted for corruption will be investigated at large.

The 45 people were placed under a travel ban.

On April 27, anticorruption prosecutors indicted 62 border police officers and four customs workers at the Siret crossing point for corruption. Prosecutors said 49 of those indicted were under preventive arrest.

On April 29, the Suceava Court of Appeals decided to place 23 of the people brought before the court under a travel ban and keep the remaining 25, including Anea, under preventive arrest.

The decision was challenged at the High Court by both the 25 border police officers kept under preventive arrest and prosecutors.

According to the bill of indictment, the 62 border police officers from Siret customs took bribes amounting to 3.6 million lei (about EUR888,600) between September 2010 and January 2011. The four customs workers are accused of offering bribes. (EUR1=RON4.1073)