**Heightened Scrutiny at Chisinau Airport Amid Suspicion of Election Corruption**

At Chisinau Airport, sniffer dogs like Ami, a dedicated black retriever, have been working tirelessly in recent months. These canine detectives are trained to detect cash that may be linked to efforts of political manipulation by Russian interests in Moldova. Ami has been meticulously sniffing each suitcase arriving on the baggage claim belts, and back in May, she frequently detected money.

This period marked the beginning of a significant uptick in suspicious cash findings by customs officers. Passengers arriving via connecting flights from Moscow were often found carrying large sums of money, raising red flags. "Almost everyone had money: 2,000, 3,000, 7,000 euros," recalls Ruslan Alexandrov, head of customs at Chisinau Airport. Though the amounts were not illegal, the patterns of arrival were unusual. Specific routes, such as Moscow-Istanbul-Chisinau and Moscow-Yerevan-Chisinau, stood out as particularly suspicious.

In response, law enforcement officers began seizing these cash amounts, with one day's haul totaling an astonishing $1.5 million. Interestingly, none of those from whom the money was taken ever sought its return. Authorities contend that these cash couriers were part of an extensive operation orchestrated by Ilan Shor, a fugitive Moldovan oligarch now residing in Russia, beyond the reach of extradition.

As Moldova approaches two crucial votes this weekend, Chisinau Airport remains on high alert. Flights considered high-risk are met with rigorous scrutiny, with sniffer dogs and additional baggage scans for at least half of the passengers. President Maia Sandu, seeking re-election on a pro-European Union platform, faces competition from ten other candidates, some of whom express pro-Moscow sympathies. Additionally, a referendum is set to take place, asking voters whether to inscribe Moldova's objective of EU membership into its constitution.

Since Moldova's independence from Moscow following the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the nation has been caught in a geopolitical tug-of-war between East and West. This struggle has become more intense following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. President Sandu, initially elected on a strong anti-corruption agenda, has steered the country decisively towards the West and identified Russia as a significant security threat.

Veronica Dragalin, Moldova's chief anti-corruption prosecutor, describes the situation as an unprecedented attempt to corrupt an election. Dragalin, who spent much of her life and career as a prosecutor in the United States before returning to Moldova, oversees a team that has uncovered an intricate pyramid payment scheme allegedly orchestrated by Ilan Shor and his associates from Russia. She detailed how wiretaps, infiltrations, and witness testimonies have provided substantial evidence linking foreign funds to election interference efforts.

The scheme involved direct payments to voters, with as many as 130,000 people potentially affected by early October, making up about 10% of the electorate. Chief of Police Viorel Cernauteanu revealed that in September alone, $15 million was transferred through a sanctioned Russian bank, PSB. Despite the new legal measures, which make accepting such money an offense, the widespread poverty in Moldova makes it easy to find willing participants.

Moldovan investigators have yet to identify the exact source of the funds but claim Ilan Shor is openly managing the operation, promising financial incentives like monthly top-up payments to pensioners in return for political support. Convicted in absentia for major fraud and money laundering, Shor remains an influential figure, promoting anti-EU and pro-Russian sentiments that continue to find an audience despite his legal troubles and subsequent sanctions.