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 on September 1 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."
Russian border police said Cavaliuc was "subject to normal border control procedures," denying he was detained.
Moldova signed an agreement with the European Union in 2014 that Russia opposes.