(UPDATE 13:06) Other two doctors and a pharmacist were issued 30-day arrests

The judges are to decide the fate of other two suspects.

(UPDATE 11:09) A doctor and a pharmacist have received 30-day arrests, and another physician will be inspected for 25 days. Also, 30-day home arrest has been issued on the representative of a pharmaceutical company. 

The decision was taken this morning by the magistrates from the Buiucani office of the Chisinau Court.

The judges are also to decide the fate of five other people who would be involved in organizing an illegal medicine trading scheme.

(09:57) More ten people, detained on Friday to organize an illegal drug sale scheme, await the magistrates' decision.

The Chisinau Court will decide what measure applied to them, after yesterday ordered three of the accused to be insulted, and six were placed under house arrest. These are four representatives of pharmaceutical companies, two doctors and one employee of the University of Medicine.

Others suspected in this case plead innocent.

On Friday, 12 employees of several hospitals and eight representatives of pharmaceutical companies were detained for charges of passive corruption and abuse of office.

According to the CNA, in exchange for a bribe, doctors were convinced by pharmaceutical companies to prescribe certain drugs in their pharma stocks.

Besides money, corrupt doctors were illegally paid for various goods and even holidays abroad.

The scheme was investigated over a year, during which several samples, including telephone interceptions, were collected.

The detained doctors, who are employees of some hospitals in Chisinau, Cahul and Edinet, run for up to 10 years in prison, and the representatives of the pharmacies - up to six years.