In 2025, the Republic of Moldova successfully participated in a joint international cybercrime operation with the law enforcement authorities of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, demonstrating the practical value of Article 35 (24/7 Network) of the Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention)
The operation was carried out by the Cybercrime Combating Centre (4C) and the Criminal Investigation Directorate of the National Investigation Inspectorate, jointly with the Prosecutor's Office for Combating Organised Crime and Special Cases (PCCOCS), in close co-operation with the competent Dutch authorities. Through the prompt exchange of information and operational coordination enabled by the 24/7 Network, the authorities identified and arrested a foreign national in the Republic of Moldova who was internationally wanted for serious cybercrime offences committed abroad.
In one of the investigated cases, the suspect is alleged to have orchestrated a ransomware attack against the Dutch Research Council (NWO), causing estimated financial damage of approximately EUR 4.5 million.
This case illustrates how the Budapest Convention provides an effective legal and operational framework for rapid cross-border co-operation, enabling timely information exchange, coordinated investigative actions and the successful apprehension of cybercrime suspects across jurisdictions.
Read more:
Newsroom (Ziarul de Garda): Article (in Romanian)