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Interpol extradites 550 suspects to Russia in 21 years

As of now, Russia has more than 1,600 persons on the Interpol wanted list

MOSCOW, September 27 (Itar-Tass) — More than 550 suspects have been extradited to Russia since it joined the international police organization (Interpol) 21 years ago. The suspects were found in 63 member-states of the organization, the press service of Interpol Russia (NTsB) told Itar-Tass on Tuesday.

"During 21 years of our Interpol membership, it has been possible to detain more than 550 wanted persons in 63 countries of the world, who were extradited/deported to Russia, thanks to the broad use of the opportunities of this organization," the NTsB said.

This year alone, Interpol ascertained the identities of 87 suspects and convicts wanted by Russian law-enforcement bodies; 60 persons have been detained, and 45 have been extradited or deported.

As of now, Russia has more than 1,600 persons on the Interpol wanted list.

There are 519 Interpol red notices for suspects issued at Russia's arrest. In 2011, Russia entered 223 names on the international wanted list.

This year, Russian law-enforcement bodies found 40 people wanted by foreign police, including 28 Russian citizens. Thirty-six wanted persons were detained, and 21 were extradited or deported.

On Tuesday, Russia marks the 21st anniversary of joining Interpol and establishing the Russian bureau of Interpol under the Interior Ministry.

It became an important link in the system of itnernational police cooperation.

Interpol Russia interacts practically with all member-states of the organization. It has branches in 78 Russian regions. The tasks the NTsB is facing are much broader than simple information exchange between Russian and foreign law-enforcement bodies.

In the modern world, including in the field of struggle against trans-national crime, international police cooperation requires a constant increase in activities and perfection of the mechanisms of operation.

After the first years of its establishment, Russia's NTsB advanced to leading positions among similar Interpol centers in foreign states, according to experts.

On Tuesday, Deputy Interior Minister Sergei Bulavin extended the hope for closer cooperation with Interpol in the investigation into high-profile criminal cases.

Head of the department for international cooperation under the Investigative Committee (SK) Mikhail Yadrov said Interpol would take an active part in investigating the terrorist attack at the Domodedovo airport in January 2011.

Russian investigators have launched two-way information exchange with Interpol and already receive answers to a number of inquiries pertaining to the investigation.

Yadrov reminded that Russia had requested to help it gather information during the visit to Interpol's headquarters in Lyon by a delegation led by SK chief Alexander Bastrykin.

On January 24, 2011, a suicide bomber blew himself in the arrivals hall at the Domodedovo airport, killing 35 people and injuring another 200.

The investigators found out that the terrorist attack was aimed against foreigners in the first place. There were eight foreigners among the fatalities, and at least 17 foreigners were hospitalized, including citizens of Germany, Italy, Nigeria, Moldova, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan and France.