Moldovan police chief briefly detained at Moscow airport

Authorities say Moldova's police chief was detained for three hours at an airport in Moscow before being released.

Interim police chief Gheorghe Cavaliuc was stopped by Russian border police Tuesday and held at Domodedovo airport. He said he was initially informed there was a problem with his passport and later told he resembled a wanted criminal.

Cavaliuc was freed after three hours. He said he believed his detention was connected to his work, saying "I have researched a lot of international organized crime groups."

He was traveling to a meeting of interior ministers from former Soviet states in Belarus, accompanied by Interior Minister Oleg Balan who said he would demand an explanation from the Russian interior minister.

Moldova signed an agreement with the European Union in 2014 which Russia opposes.