Source: Rucriminal

Rucriminal.com returns to the publication of materials from the Interpol report, which includes intelligence information, reports from national bureaux of different countries, materials of "wiretapping" and surveillance of natives of the Russian Federation (primarily members of the Solntsevo group) and related individuals, Among them a mass of large businessmen, former and current officials. In the eighth article, we provide sensational data that became the property of the international intelligence service. According to Interpol, the leaders of Solntsevo OPG together with the well-known art dealer Felix Komarov, organized schemes to replace rare books from Russian museums with high-quality fakes. A copy of works of art produced two famous sculptors - Ernst Neizvestny and Mikhail Shemyakin.

 

 

7. Trade in stolen works of art

 

According to the NCB of Interpol in Austria, in 1997 150,000 diamonds and precious stones worth about $ 7.5 million were allegedly taken from individuals associated with the Solntsevo criminal group. The theft of diamonds was carried out directly in the mining areas, and the cutting in the underground workshops. In this situation, high-ranking government officials were involved, in particular, employees of the Committee on Precious Metals "Roskomdragmet" and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

According to reports, Sergei MIKHAILOV, Victor AVERIN and Semyon MOGILEVICH organized workshops for the production of jewelry, which were sold abroad. Solntsevo criminal group controlled operations with works of art, antiques and jewelry in Poland and Austria.

This information was confirmed by the Interpol NCB in Washington. In early 1995, Sergei MIKHAILOV and Victor AVERIN agreed with Semen Mogilevich to invest a large amount of money in a joint jewelry company in Moscow (Russia) and Budapest (Hungary). This business had to serve as a cover for the purchase of jewelry, antiques and works of art that the Solntsevo criminal group planned to steal in Russia and sell in the West via Budapest. Works of art and antiques were going to steal in churches and museums in Russia, including the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.

To ensure this plan Solntseva criminal group acquired a large jewelry manufacturing company in Budapest. The company was equipped with French equipment for the production and repair of jewelry. The joint venture also controlled the chain of jewelry stores in Moscow and established the "Golden House" company, located near the Sportivnaya metro station. The director of the "Golden House" was Boris (the surname is unknown), which, according to reports, acted under the protection of Mikhail Kudin. The "Golden House" owned the production plant and the exhibition hall. Gold products were to be manufactured in Moscow and sent to Budapest, where precious stones were to be inserted in them. Stolen antiques, such as Faberge eggs, should also be sent from Moscow to Budapest for "restoration." In fact, Semyon Mogilevich sent antiques to London (Great Britain), where they were exhibited at Sotheby's auction. Faberge's fake eggs or other antiques would have to be sent to Moscow instead of "restored." Two-thirds of antiquarian products crept away immediately, and the rest went to the pawnshop networks in Moscow controlled by the Solntsevo criminal group.

 

Solntsevskaya also "worked" with the owners of works of art and jewelry. Clients of pawnshops were traced to the addresses and then became victims of groups acting on behalf of the Suns group. Home theft was the usual method used to obtain valuable antique and jewelry. In early 1995, the Solntsevo criminal group stated that it had already sent antiquities from Russia worth $ 3 million to be auctioned at Sotheby's in September or October 1995.

 

Felix Ruvimovich KOMAROV (born January 25, 1948), a sales agent for Rolls-Royce in Moscow, and an accomplice of IVANKOV and the Podolsk organization (see the report of the Interpol General Secretariat of the project "Millennium Project: The Black Brothers, variant II"), The New York Art Gallery "Rashen World Galerie". This art gallery belonged to one Komarov, but in reality his partners were Sergey MIKHAILOV and Victor AVERIN, Semen MOGILEVICH and RICKARDO FANCHINI. According to available information, KOMAROV drew to work two famous Russian sculptors, Ernst UNKNOWN and Mikhail Shemyakin, who were among the first to sell their work abroad. They agreed to create works similar to Faberge eggs, as well as other figures of gold, platinum and silver, adorned with precious stones.

For this purpose, three special enterprises were purchased - two in Europe and one in New York.

 

At the end of April 1996, the Komarov Gallery held an exhibition at the Russian Consulate in Manhattan. Among the sponsors were Rolls-Royce (Moscow) and the Kremlin vodka Fanchini. About 400 works of art were exhibited. Sales on the opening day exceeded $ 1 million.

8. Drug trafficking

 

According to the Interpol NCB in Washington, an alliance was concluded between Russian criminal gangs and Colombian cocaine cartels. Colombian cartels have laundered proceeds from the sale of cocaine through Russian banks in Moscow (Russia). According to reports, Colombians also sent cocaine to Russia.

 

According to open sources, in late 1992, IVAN'KOV organized a meeting between representatives of the Russian, Italian (European-based) and the Colombian mafia, at which problems related to the supply of drugs to Europe and Moscow were discussed. It was agreed that:

 

• Colombians will lead production.

0 The Russians will lead the delivery of drugs to Europe (Spain, Holland and Greece) by sea, as well as supplies from Belarus to Russia.

• Italians will direct supplies to Europe from Spain, Holland and Greece and by land.

• Georgians deliver cocaine from Greece to Georgia, Ukraine and other countries.

0 Ukrainians deliver cocaine from Spain to Ukraine and to Belarus.

• The Matsuka criminal organization directs the delivery of cocaine from Amsterdam.

 

For the transportation of cocaine stolen vehicles were used. IVANKOV asked MIKHAILOV to engage in the supply of cocaine in the interests of the Solntsevo criminal group, although most of the proceeds went to IVANKOV and to the obshchak of thieves-in-law. Although the Italians controlled the supply of cocaine to Europe, and the Russians - to Russia, Russians began delivering cocaine to Europe against the will of Italians, as the Russian market was full.

 

In 1995, Jemal KHACHIDZE / HASHIDZE discussed with the leaders of the Tambov organization, based in St. Petersburg, a joint operation to deliver cocaine through the port of St. Petersburg. Having reached an agreement, the groups began to receive cocaine consignments every two weeks, beginning in September 1996, hidden in containers with coffee or cocoa from Colombia. The cargo was packed into four containers, one of which contained cocaine. The role of the Tambov organization in this operation was the customs clearance of cargo with cocaine in St. Petersburg. The commanders of the brigades of the Solntsevo criminal group Anatoly ANISIMOV and Vasily ZHDANOV sent members of their brigades for the regular delivery of cocaine from St. Petersburg to Moscow. They followed groups of several cars, including passengers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, whose duty was to protect the cargo.

Source: Rucriminal