The Republic of Moldova is among the top global manufacturers of anabolic steroids, illegal substances in the majority of EU states, the USA, as well as Russia. Corruption, lax legislation and the political protectionism easily obtained have created conditions for the development of a huge industry of anabolics in our country, which are in great demand on the black market around the world. Nowadays, at least seven factories producing anabolics are operating in Moldova, four of which are clandestine laboratories. Legal manufacturers of anabolics allegedly get protection from a former Romanian senator, a prominent Moldovan businessman and a former president of the Federation of bodybuilding in Chisinau. Many of these anabolics get smuggled abroad in postal envelopes accepted and dispatched by the State Enterprise „Posta Moldovei”.

May 4, 2016, Chisinau International Airport. A plane loaded with mailing bags of „Posta Moldovei” takes off to Frankfurt. Among the packages sealed with adhesive tape on which the name „Posta Moldovei” and the customs stamp are printed , there are three bags with the logo of „Posta Moldovei” containing small packets with anabolics. At Frankfurt Airport, the bags of drugs prohibited for export are moved to another plane, which also heads to the US.

In the same way, from 5.400 to 7.800 packages containing anabolics worth about $ 200 each of them go to the US, Germany, Italy, UK, Spain, but also to Australia and former Soviet countries. The monthly value of parcels of anabolics sent via „Posta Moldovei” varies between a million and a million and a half dollars. According to several sources, the scheme has been working for over ten years.

Illicit packages

Anabolic steroids and androgens are synthetic hormones which increase the body's ability to produce muscle tissue. Lately, these substances are in high demand among athletes and people who want to increase their muscle mass or to achieve a sports performance in a short term. In all EU member states, most CIS countries and the USA, these substances are prohibited for manufacturing and selling. In Moldova, the production of most anabolics, however, is legal, and the sale - free in pharmacies.

Packages with anabolics typically arrive through the back door of Moldovan Post. Bags loaded with steroids are often brought by the EMS (Expres Mail Service) drivers who receive them from „customers” according to addresses mentioned by them. „The places are different and I do not really remember any of them to be similar. It happens them to be on the outskirts, or near buildings under construction”, say sources from the state enterprise. Because of the risk posed to these people, we decided to keep their anonymity. Their words are confirmed by a video recording that has come into our possession. It is seen that an employee of „Posta Moldovei” is loading into an EMS car two big boxes, without complying to the rules of receiving an order: packages are not weighed, no  barcodes are assigned, the sender is not receiving a receipt. Former head of the Center for Post Office Processing and Transportation (CPTP), Sorin Stati, says that the boxes appearing in the video contain anabolics.

The same scheme of transporting banned substances to „Posta Moldovei” is mentioned in the Act on the complex control of economic and financial activity of the subsidiary of „Posta Moldovei”, CPTP, developed in 2012 by the Financial Control and Internal Audit Service. At that moment it was led by Sergiu Cebotari, who previously made several disclosures about anabolics smuggling from „Posta Moldovei”. (See here an excerpt from the Act).

Betrayed by receipts

Arriving at the Post Office no. 2000 on 3, Piata Garii street in Chisinau, bags with anabolics are transported directly to the third floor -  the Service of post letters, without passing the control of postal operators and the one of the custom officer on the first floor, who should check whether any prohibited items are in the parcels. Our sources say that packets avoiding the official procedure would arrive at the post office already sealed with adhesive tape of „Posta Moldovei”, having barcodes (a code consisting of two letters and nine digits used to track the location of the package throughout its transportation - Ed.) and even a customs stamp. The only thing offered to the post office operators is a list with barcodes that are entered into the Post’s database, while cashiers issue receipts for transporting parcels which they have not even seen.

The allegations are confirmed by documents that have come into our possession. According to the receipts issued by the POS machine of the Post Office no. 2000, on March 7, 2015, the cashier issued 22 receipts for  22 small packages weighing 250-550 grams in just four minutes (from 11.25 to 11.29). Therefore, to serve each of the 22 different customers the cashier spent only ten seconds (if they had been one person, only one receipt would have been issued - Ed.). Moreover, although the packages were processed one after another,  the numerical order of barcodes that were applied is not respected. The first package has the barcode "RB022040576MD", while three barcodes issued next - "RB022040580MD", "RB022040562MD", "RB022040973MD".

The experiment

To check how real might be such a performance, our reporter went to the same post office and tried to send a similar parcel containing a book and a box of anabolics. The whole procedure lasted more than eight minutes and the customs officer, after checking the contents of the package, removed the box of pills and asked us what kind of drugs they are. After saying that they are used to increase the muscle mass, the customs officer and one of the postal operators exchanged complicit glances, and then she returned the package with anabolics, explaining that their transportation abroad is prohibited. The receipt for the  transportation of the package is issued only after its contents is checked by the customs, while the postal envelope is sealed and weighed by another operator. If senders of parcels recorded in receipts had respected all the legal procedure mentioned above, customs officer and the two postal operators would have had to move with an incredible speed to succeed performing all the operations in just ten seconds.

Packages from the future

There is other evidence indicating that the bags containing packages with anabolics are not checked at the post office. In some manifest documents, which are generally processed by postal operators only after receiving letters/parcels from the sender, so to be further directed to the Service of post letters of CPTP, it is indicated an earlier time than the one at which the operator would have received the parcel from the customer, issuing a receipt, which is impossible.

For instance, on June 7, 2016, for a small package with the barcode "RB023246041MD", the manifest is drawn up at 11:53. According to the receipt, the customer brought the package with this barcode three hours later, at 14.42.

See below several cases of this kind

Although not knowing the content of the controversial packages, workers of the Service of post letters of CPTP recognize them from barcodes with a „special” serial number, used only for packages getting there mysteriously and which have to leave the building without passing through the customs scanner installed on the third floor. These special barcodes are very useful later as well: in case a parcel turns back, it is taken over by the same employees of post service, before reaching the hands of customs officials, so to be handed over to a responsible person from the CPTP management. Normally, in case of a return, the parcel should be given to the sender.

Fake senders to doubtful destinations

It is very difficult to figure out who are the senders of parcels with anabolics. Names and addresses indicated on several parcels with steroids whose pictures came into our possession are fake. Thus, on one of the postal items which should have been sent on February 3, 2015, under the heading sender it is indicated the name of Leonid Panzari who lives in Chisinau, on 17, Ialoveni street. The owners of this house argue that they don’t know any person with this name. We could not find Petru Cusnir either, who would live on 4, Hotin street in Chisinau, and who allegedly tried to send a parcel with anabolics on February 7, 2016, the day when the consignment of smuggled good was captured by the Security and Intelligence Service. Data on the sender of a parcel with anabolics in 2010 - Leonid Frolov, who allegedly lives on 17, Pavel Botu street - have also proved to be false. Please note that the last building on this street has no. 15.

In the case of recipients the situation is similar. For example, 633 Cochrane rd. Park Hills, Missouri 63601, indicated as the address of a person named Michael Hater who allegedly received a parcel with anabolics in February 2011, is actually a wooded area of a park in that American town. Similarly, 715 SE 20 Th AVE 3, Derfield BCH, Florida 33441, where Eric Bakter was awaiting the shipment with anabolics sent by Leonid Panzari, is actually a hotel.

A scheme involving two ministers   

MP Grigore Cobzac, the chairman of the Parliamentary Commission for investigating the involvement of „Posta Moldovei” in illegal transportation of anabolics, came to the same conclusions. On October 13, 2016 he made public an alternative report about his findings. According to the MP, smuggling of anabolics has continued during the activity of the commission, and some documents that could have served as evidence were destroyed during its activity. Cobzac explained that during the commission's work several high-ranking officials tried to prevent the investigation by delaying responses, giving false or scarce information, or refusing to provide any facts. Given that, as well as other evidence uncovered during the investigation, the chairman of the commission suggests that in the scheme of anabolic substances are allegedly involved the minister of Finance Octavian Armasu, the minister of Information Technology and Communications Vasile Botnari, general director of the Customs Service Vitalie Vrabie, general director of the State Enterprise „Posta Moldovei” Serghei Nastas, and deputy director general of „Posta Moldovei” Sergiu Batiusca. All of them would be involved by failing to take all the necessary measures in order to stop illegal transportation of prohibited substances via „Posta Moldovei”.  Cobzac recommends the resignation of mentioned officials. He also calls on law enforcement bodies to establish the level of involvement and responsibility of the current Prime Minister Pavel Filip, who used to be the Ministry of Information Technology and Communications, the institution responsible for the activity of „Posta Moldovei”.

„It is a phenomenon that can seriously affect Moldova's image on the international arena. The presence of Moldovan drugs on the black market of anabolics is impressive”, said Cobzac.

„I do not comment this absurdity!”

„I am not aware of allegations made by Grigore Cobzac and I am not going to comment on such absurdity”, said Sergiu Batiusca to us, the deputy general director of  „Posta Moldovei”.  He hung up before letting us to ask him for a comment on the allegations that Sergiu Cebotari rejected the Audit Act drafted in 2012 and which reveals the anabolics smuggling scheme via „Posta Moldovei”. Neither Serghei Nastas commented on the allegations. We requested him, in an official letter, to communicate whether any internal investigation has  ever been conducted in order to verify the allegations. In response, Nastas told us that the Parliamentary Commission should bring details on that, while „Posta Moldovei” has no other comment.

Both minister of Finance Octavian Armasu and minister of Information Technology and Communications Vasile Botnari did not respond to our phone calls in order to give any comments. Neither Prime Minister Pavel Filip offered a comment regarding the allegations related to him. At the same time, Moldovan Customs Service has not provided any answer after being requested to give information on cases of involvement of customs officials in transporting illicit parcels with anabolics, even though the request was sent on September 13.

Earlier, in a reply offered to the Center for Investigative Journalism after a refferal on anabolics smuggling was published on the Corruption Map, the Customs Service informed us that the circulation of these substances is under their attention, measures being taken to not admit illegal import of raw material for the preparation of anabolics and illicit export of these substances. As for the transportation of anabolics via „Posta Moldovei”, the director of the Customs Service, Vitalie Vrabie, told us that „after a prior analysis of the situation, a significant involvement of public authorities has been highlighted, a fact that puts into maximal difficulty a detailed customs control, and even the impossibility of carrying it out. Given the type of activity of State Enterprise „Posta Moldovei”, there are a number of mechanisms allowing packaging and sealing of goods without the presence of a customs officer”.

The „resounding” seizure

February 7, 2016. A task force of several Security and Intelligence Service (SIS) officers  and border policemen burst into Chisinau International Airport and discover, among packages of „Posta Moldovei” ready to be loaded on a plane, 15 postal bags containing 387 packages of anabolics masked as books and advertisement products. SIS qualifies it as a „record” contraband, and the value of the goods is estimated at hundreds of thousands of euros. The news about the seizure spreaded in the majority of Moldovan media outlets, but the real reverberation occured at thousands of kilometers away from Chisinau, in the US, where many sportspeople - amateurs or professionals - were awaiting the packages ordered from Moldova and were wondering if Moldovan intelligence service officers would reach them. „Does anyone know if the US is involved in this operation? I would not say, but I know about its involvement in similar stuff in Thailand”, says a consumer of anabolics on an American forum.

Although considered as an unprecedented operation, the criminal case reached quickly the hands of the employees of the criminal prosecution body of the Customs Service. That happened despite the fact that the parcels with anabolics which were to be smuggled out of the country had a Customs Service stamp on them. This may be seen on the photos presented by SIS.

Prosecutor: „People involved were identified”

In a formal response received from the Prosecutor General's Office on September 24, we were informed that the criminal case was opened on the attempt of passing goods in large proportions through counterfeit declarations in Moldovan customs documents. Prosecution is led by Prosecutor's Office for the combating of organized crime and special causes. Its head, Corneliu Bratunov, avoids providing more details under the pretext of investigation secrecy.

Vitalie Busuioc, the prosecutor responsible for the case, said that investigations are underway and that the majority of people involved have been identified. Currently, they are heard. At the same time, the law enforcement bodies are investigating the report of the Parliamentary Commission, that they received recently.

The contraband seized in February 2016 is treated by steroids consumers  as a consequence of a war between two global networks selling anabolics: Pharmacom Labs and Napsgear (the second one sells anabolic products of Genesis Pharmaceuticals, whose drugs were found in packages seized by SIS officers - Ed.).

A silenced operation

SIS is cheating when stating that the seizure of February 2016 is unprecedented. According to some information, in the spring of 2009, SIS captured another large amount of anabolics which were to get abroad according to the same scheme. That time, similarly, parcels were sent via „Posta Moldovei” to the USA, Spain, Ireland. Moreover, according to a blog post published in June 2009 by the US sportsman Anthony Roberts, a known campaigner  against the use of anabolics, in the case of 2009 seizure SIS worked with the World Anti-Doping Agency. Names and addresses of the recipients of the seized packages  were handed over to authorities in their countries. Roberts attached to his article some photos of the operation carried out in Chisinau, confirming that the action took place indeed. In Moldova, no word was murmured about this contraband.

Artur Resetnicov, SIS director at that time, says he does not remember anything about such an operation, but he can not exclude that it took place. „We had several operations. I no longer remember all of them”, he answered.

The secret office of SIS, located in the heart of illegalities

Alexandru Popescu, former chief of the SIS Direction working on countering illicit trafficking of prohibited substances and which endanger the state security, says that during his 30 years of work at SIS the smuggling of anabolics had not represented an alarming phenomenon. Popescu left his job in 2012.

„SIS does not make a show of its work. There are several documented cases and state institutions informed. Based on this information several criminal cases were initiated. I documented a scheme through which active ingredients used for anabolics were smuggled to Moldova from China, through the Black Sea region, but back then the production of anabolics did not used to be so developed. Certainly, the scheme could not exist without the involvement of officials from the Customs Service. In the current situation it is obvious that such a scheme had functioned under protectionism, a situation which should be investigated and researched”, says Popescu. At the same time, he adds that SIS is not able to replace the work of other bodies, especially given that several positions within SIS were cut down.

Reliable sources from the State Enterprise „Posta Moldovei” revealed us that a secret office of ISS used to be located within the Post Office on 3, Piata Garii street,  where the processing of all postal parcels in the country takes place. It was closed in 2013, according to a decision taken by Mihai Balan, the current director of Security and Intelligence Service, in order to reduce expenses. Popescu claims he knows nothing about this office. Instead, Grigore Cobzac confirms its existence. „We received a reply from SIS showing that there used to be such a subdivision, located in the Post Office no. 2000. According to SIS director, it was specialized only in providing operative and technical measures, without investigative functions. Mihai Balan says that he decided to stop its activity given the need to optimize the SIS flowchart, after evaluating the output of this particular subunit”, explains Cobzac.

No matter the presence of security officers, the „strategic” office of „Posta Moldovei” is monitored 24/24 by several hundred cameras installed in every room of the building. Until „Posta Moldovei” was passed under control of the the Democratic Party, the guard of the building and the control of video cameras used to be provided by the security guard company „Legion”. Since 2012, the guarding is provided by the security company „Argus-S”, founded by the offshore Otiv Prime Services B.V affiliated to Vlad Plahotniuc.