26 searches in Neamț in a case concerning rigged tenders and illegal logging

Prosecutors have opened an in rem investigation and conducted 26 searches in Neamț County, in a case concerning suspicions of rigging tenders, favoring certain companies, and the illegal exploitation of timber within a public institution in the forestry sector.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office attached to the High Court of Cassation and Justice, current and former decision-makers at the institution allegedly control, through proxies, companies that participated in procedures for contracting standing timber. The companies allegedly thereby gained access to forest land and exploited or transported additional volumes beyond those provided for in the valuation documents.

Investigators are also examining forestry service contracts, including contracts for afforestation, clearing, and forest stand protection. The work was allegedly carried out improperly or was not performed to the quantity and quality standards undertaken. Prosecutors claim that the framework agreements, generally concluded for four years, were subsequently supplemented through subsequent contracts.

Nine searches were conducted in a case concerning public tenders, while another 17, coordinated by the Prosecutor’s Office attached to the Târgu Neamț District Court, targeted offenses related to the forestry regime. Documents, timber records, and computer data were seized. The investigation seeks to establish the origin of the timber, the quantities transported, and any possible links between companies and employees of forestry institutions.