Greece Arrests Notorious 'Thief in Law' Sought by Russia
Greek authorities have arrested a Georgian crime boss, known as a 'thief in law', wanted by Russia under an Interpol red notice. The arrest is part of Europe's intensified efforts against Russian-speaking organized crime groups. The suspect was detained in Athens following a tipoff about his travel plans.
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- Country:
- Greece
Greece has arrested a suspected crime boss with the underworld title of "vor v zakone" - or thief in law - wanted by Russia under an Interpol red notice, police officials said on Wednesday. Europe has stepped up its fight against Russian-speaking organised crime groups since the assassination of a clan leader in 2013 in Moscow triggered a power struggle among the crime network.
Europol, the EU-wide police liaison agency, says the "vory v zakone" (thieves in law) network is a tightly-structured type of criminal organisation originating in the underworld of the Soviet Union, which fell apart in 1991. Greek police arrested the 51-year old Georgian, whose name has not been released, on Tuesday after receiving a tipoff that he was planning to travel to Athens. A red notice had been issued by Interpol against him at the request of Russia.
He was arrested at a restaurant in central Athens where he had been attending a dinner with 13 other men, among them a 58-year old man who was later also arrested for gun possession. A third man was arrested for lacking a residence permit and refusing to undergo an identity check.
The other men at the dinner were briefly detained and then freed.
(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
- READ MORE ON:
- Greece
- Interpol
- Crime
- Georgian
- Russia
- Red Notice
- Organized Crime
- Europol
- Thief in Law
- Arrest
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