Greek authorities arrested suspected crime boss wanted by Russia

• The crime boss, a “vory v zakone” (thief in law) network, is wanted by Russia.
• The network originated from the Soviet Union’s underworld, which collapsed in 1991.
• Interpol issued a red notice against him at Russia’s request.

Greek authorities have arrested a suspected crime boss with the underworld title of “vor v zakone” — or thief in law — who is wanted by Russia under an Interpol red notice, police officials announced on Wednesday.

Since the assassination of a clan leader in Moscow in 2013 triggered a power struggle within the crime network, Europe has intensified its fight against Russian-speaking organized crime groups.

Europol, the EU-wide police liaison agency, states that the “vory v zakone” (thieves in law) network is a tightly structured type of criminal organization that originated in the underworld of the Soviet Union, which collapsed in 1991.

On Tuesday, Greek police arrested the 51-year-old Georgian, whose name has not been released, after receiving a tipoff that he was planning to travel to Athens. Interpol had issued a red notice against him at the request of Russia.

Police arrested him at a restaurant in central Athens where he had been attending a dinner with 13 other men, including a 58-year-old man who was later arrested for gun possession.

Police arrested a third man for lacking a residence permit and refusing to undergo an identity check. The other men at the dinner were briefly detained and then released.

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