Moldova to recall ambassador after 350 kg of smuggled steroids found in embassy van

The Moldovan government has decided to recall its ambassador to Moscow on Wednesday after 350 kg (772 lb) of anabolic steroids were found stashed in an embassy minibus as it was stopped on the Ukrainian border on its way to Russia.

The Moldovan government has decided to recall its ambassador to Moscow on Wednesday after 350 kg (772 lb) of anabolic steroids were found stashed in an embassy minibus as it was stopped on the Ukrainian border on its way to Russia. The Moldovan customs service said the steroids had a market value of around 8 million Moldovan lei ($464,698). The minibus, which had diplomatic plates, was stopped on Saturday. The driver has been detained for a period of 72 hours.

Prime Minister Ion Chicu's government approved a decision to recall its envoy to Russia, Andrei Neguta. Neguta has not issued a statement and could not immediately be reached for comment. "This is a shame on Moldova," the outgoing President Igor Dodon said, adding that the ambassador would be held accountable if found guilty of involvement.

The incident comes just weeks after Dodon, who has pushed for closer ties with Russia, lost his bid for re-election to Maia Sandu, a former prime minister who wants to build closer relations with the European Union. Dodon had earlier sought to pin part of the blame for his electoral defeat on the embassy in Moscow.

Dodon said not enough Moldovans living in Russia had voted for him and complained that the embassy had closed for a lunch break on election day despite people queuing up outside to cast their ballots. The minibus was stopped at the Palanca crossing on the border with Ukraine by customs agents and members of the intelligence service, known as the Information and Security Service.

Sandu accused lawmakers aligned with Dodon of trying to sabotage her presidency when they voted last week to strip her of control over the intelligence service and hand it over to parliament. ($1 = 17.2155 Moldovan lei)