Corruption, Financial Services, Latvia

In total five persons were detained, three of them are suspects in the case, and two got the status of persons against whom a criminal procedure has been launched.

One of the detained persons is a VID employee - currently suspended from duties. Another person is former VID employee, already held in custody for a different bribery case reported in June when another organized group was detained for demanding a bribe for a VID official.

The service will not disclose further information for the time being so as not to impede the investigation.

VID general director Ieva Jaunzeme said that a situation that there are persons working in VID related with corruption is unacceptable. 

As reported, the Internal Security Service of the State Revenue Service, conducting investigation during a criminal procedure, in June detained a group of persons who demanded a bribe worth EUR 65,000 with a goal to hand it over to a VID official.

The bribe was demanded in order to achieve that the VID official ensures deep and unfavorable inspections in certain companies.

Two former VID officials and one current official are suspects in the case. In total there are five suspects in the case. Two of them were arrested on June 11.