Russian Police Bust Criminal Group Sending Illegal Migrants to Europe, U.S.
14.04.2005, 22:41
[MosNews] - Russian security forces and police have busted a criminal group that helped foreign nationals, including terror suspects, to illegally travel to France, Spain and the U.S., Russian RIA-Novosti news agency reported.
Russian security forces and police have busted a criminal group that helped foreign nationals, including terror suspects, to illegally travel to France, Spain and the U.S., Russian RIA-Novosti news agency reported.
A security raid by Russia’s Federal Security Service and the main police authority has put an end to the activities of a criminal gang that helped foreign nationals to travel to Europe and the United States using forged ID papers.
"There is evidence that some (of the people sent abroad) belonged to terror groups," chief FSB spokesman Sergei Ignatchenko told a news conference on Thursday.
During the probe it was established that the criminal gang was set up by Russian nationals Karen Gevorkyan and Dmitry Kedrov. Both have been detained. In 1999-2001 Gevorkyan served a prison sentence in Germany.
"Over the past four years the criminal group had taken over 1,000 people abroad," Ignatchenko said. Most of their clients were nationals of Moldova, Ukraine, Transcaucasian republics and Southeast Asia.
Illegal mirgnats were charged at least $1,000 for travel arrangements. "The group also involved employees at Moscow international airports and administrative bodies that aimed to combat such crimes," Ignatchenko said.
During the searches in apartments and offices of Gevorkyan and Kedrov, operatives discovered a large number of forged travel passports, visas and stamps of the Russian Interior Ministry’s passport and visa service and the border control service.
Some of the group’s clients were of Chechen origin, Ignatchenko said.
The probe was carried out in cooperation with the special services of Spain, France and the United States.