USR vice president detained by DIICOT. He is accused of circumventing sanctions imposed on Belarus

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Alexandru Munteanu, vice president of USR Dâmbovița and a local council member in Târgoviște, was detained for 24 hours by DIICOT prosecutors in a case involving the alleged violation of sanctions imposed on Belarus. Evgheni Poliakov was also detained in connection with the same case. The investigation concerns a vertical lathe valued at approximately 1.75 million euros, which prosecutors allege was intended to be delivered, through intermediaries, to a Belarusian entity subject to European Union sanctions.

Alexandru Munteanu was detained following hearings held after searches conducted on Wednesday by DIICOT in Bucharest and in the counties of Dâmbovița, Bacău, and Ilfov.

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The case concerns possible violations and circumvention of the international sanctions regime established by the European Union, as well as the sale, transfer, and export of dual-use goods.

A 1.75 million euro lathe at the center of the investigation

According to DIICOT, the investigation focuses on operations carried out between December 2025 and September 2026. Several individuals are alleged to have engaged in commercial and technical activities related to the manufacture, sale, and transfer of industrial machinery that can be used for both civilian purposes and the production of military equipment.

At the center of the investigation is a VL40-type industrial machine, a vertical lathe valued at approximately 1.75 million euros.

According to investigators, steps were allegedly taken to transfer the machine to intermediary recipients in third countries, given that the final beneficiary was an entity in Belarus subject to European Union restrictive measures.

Judicial sources claim that the final beneficiary was Kuzlitmash OAO Belarus, a company within the Belarus Avtomobilnyi Zavod – BelAZ holding group, located in the Minsk region. The entity is subject to the EU sanctions regime established in connection with the situation in Belarus.

According to the same sources, Alexandru Munteanu, in his capacity as administrator and general manager of World Machinery Works SRL, allegedly coordinated and participated in the sales and transfer of the machinery.

Intermediary firms in Germany and Kazakhstan

The route planned for the machinery allegedly involved intermediary companies in Germany and Kazakhstan before it reached the final beneficiary in Belarus.

Investigators allege that Munteanu and Evgheni Poliakov continued to pursue the delivery of the machinery, even though previous requests for export authorization had been rejected by the relevant Romanian authorities, in part due to the risk that the product might end up with an end user other than the one declared.

DIICOT also states that, through the integration of certain hardware and software components and by modifying technical parameters, some of the equipment under investigation allegedly acquired characteristics that allowed for its use for military purposes.

According to judicial sources, eight individuals are under investigation in this case. DIICOT had previously announced that it had ordered the continuation of criminal proceedings against eight suspects for acts related to violations of international sanctions.

The USR confirmed that Alexandru Munteanu is a local councilor in Târgoviște and vice president of the USR Dâmbovița organization, and specified that he holds both Romanian and Moldovan citizenship.

The party stated that, should the allegations be confirmed, statutory provisions will be applied, which could go as far as his expulsion from the USR.

“If the allegations brought against him by DIICOT are confirmed, statutory provisions will be applied, up to and including his expulsion from the USR,” the party said.

The USR also noted that Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu initiated the legislative framework under which violating or circumventing international sanctions and embargoes can constitute a criminal offense.