Romania detains Russian as commercial spy

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BUCHAREST, Romania, Oct. 26 (UPI) -- A Russian was detained at the airport and charged with trying to smuggle maps out of Romania showing locations of copper and precious metals, officials say.

The Organized Crime and Terrorism Department reported Friday that the arrest in Bucharest for commercial espionage was made Oct. 19, the Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported. The man, described only as a 42-year-old Russian allegedly had maps showing the Moldova Noua and Suvorov mines.

Managers at a state-run mining company allegedly provided the maps to Russian and Romanian businessmen.

The Moldova Noua mine has already been involved in a scandal over the sale of shares. A former judge and an officer with the internal security service were allegedly involved, and investigators were reportedly trying to determine if the leaked maps are connected.