The cultural patrimony of Soviet Moldova suffered seriously from premeditated actions of the Soviet authorities, which resulted in the removal of cultural pieces outside the Republic’s borders, or their destruction. Under the first Soviet occupation (1940-1941), but also during the mass closure of monasteries and churches in the late 1950s - early 1960s, these actions aimed at destroying an important part of local church heritage (books, icons and other cult inventory). During the withdrawal of the Soviet Army in June 1941, a considerable part of the architectural patrimony was destroyed in the main towns and county centres of Bessarabia, especially in Chisinau. Since the mid-1960s, cultural heritage hunt continued in Soviet Moldova, icons and other cult objects of old Russian art were seized from the monasteries and closed churches for the purpose of their commercialization in Moscow. Subsequently, various scientific and educational institutions in the former Soviet Union organized research expeditions in Soviet Moldova, resulting in the removal from the Republic of some art objects, including old books and illustrated manuscripts, all of which caused significant losses to our national cultural heritage. After the proclamation of the independence of the Republic of Moldova, another form of cultural heritage hunt became prominent: the illicit activity of the treasure seekers and the illicit trafficking of antiquities, which led to the destruction of dozens of archaeological sites protected by the state. Starting with the 2009’s regime change, several measures have been taken in the Republic of Moldova to protect the archaeological heritage and such unlawful actions have been curtailed.