News

The investigating bodies of the Russia’s Investigative Committee for the Republic of Tatarstan have opened a criminal case over a crime under paragraph “b” of part 2 of article 171.2 of the RF Penal Code (illegal organization of gambling by an organized group).

During competent investigating and search operations the officials of the regional office of the Investigative Committee in conjunction with the Economic Security and Anticorruption Office and department K of the Interior Ministry for the Republic of Tatarstan suppressed the activity of a criminal group consisting of 7 local residents to organize and run gambling business. The group was headed by Rustem Akhmadullin, 32, and Andrey Zakharov, 34.

According to preliminary version, since August 2011 and until present time, in Kazan, Akhmadullin, Zakharov and other members of the organized group ran illegal gambling business using information and telecommunication networks, including the Internet disguised as lottery clubs. It was found that they received over 6 million rubles of profit.

In all, the investigators made 19 searches and confiscated 150 system units, 1 million 600 thousand rubles, forged documents for legal lottery business, draft receipts, phytogenous drugs (0.6 g of marijuana), 20 smartphones, a bankbook of one of the accused with 3 million 500 thousand rubles on it. They also seized 8 credit cards accumulating money they got from the illegal business. During the investigating operations the investigators closed 10 gambling clubs in the city of Kazan and a multifunctional center with a server connected to 150 computers.

The group used the server through information and telecommunication networks and a network of regional representatives ran illegal gambling business in Moscow, Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Belgorod, Ufa, Salavat, Sterlitamak, Cheboksary, Chita, Izhevsk, Kirov, Murmansk, Neftekamsk, Novosibirsk, Parang, Ulyanovsk, Vladikavkaz, Volsk, Votkinsk and Samara.

At investigators’ motion the court ruled to place Akmadullin and Zakharov in custody pending the trial, the rest of the group were released on recognizance.

At present necessary investigating and search operations are underway to identify and detain the rest of the group, as well as to gather and consolidate the evidence. The investigation is ongoing.