INFORMATION NOTE

The 3rd Department of the UBOP KM GUVD [Directorate for Combating Organized Crime of the Criminal Militia of the Main Directorate of Internal Affairs] of Moscow received operational information regarding the illegal storage of contraband Chinese-made goods in an abandoned building at the address: Sobolevsky Proyezd, 20, bldg. 2. These goods were intended for sale in Moscow markets and belonged to an Azerbaijani criminal group, which includes corrupt officials who facilitate the unhindered sale of illegally imported and untaxed goods.

During the period from January 17 to 19, 2003, an investigation into this information established that a dilapidated two-story building, adjacent to the "Koptevo" OVD [District Department of Internal Affairs], was indeed located at the specified address. Inside, food products and imported footwear were discovered in the amount of 12,534 cardboard boxes and 11 bales of goods. The building was guarded by one of the members of the group, who was unable to provide documents for the lease of the premises or the discovered goods. To ensure the safety of this property, in the presence of witnesses, it was counted and handed over for safekeeping under a formal act to representatives of a firm authorized by the RFPI [Russian Federal Property Fund].

In the process of identifying the owner of this property, it proved impossible to find any documents confirming the ownership of the goods by any physical or legal entities. According to available documents, the aforementioned building is slated for demolition and was not leased out. The collected materials for a court decision to recognize the seized property as ownerless were sent to the RFPI. However, to date, all kinds of pressure are being exerted on UBOP officers by the Koptevo Prosecutor's Office of the SAO [Northern Administrative District], which, according to available operational data, received 100,000 US dollars. The prosecutor has illegally initiated criminal case No. 22259 under Part 3 of Article 286 of the UK RF [Criminal Code of the Russian Federation] against officers of the 3rd Department of UBOP, as well as corrupt representatives of structures such as the FSB, MVD, USB GUVD [Internal Security Service of the Main Directorate of Internal Affairs], etc., with the aim of returning the seized property to the Azerbaijani OPG [Organized Criminal Group].

Head of the 3rd Department
UBOP KM GUVD of Moscow