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Rate of crimes by foreigners in Moscow up 40 pct, requires tougher migration control - IC

As many as 97.9% of these crimes were committed by citizens of former Soviet republics
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

MOSCOW, October 19 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Investigative Committee calls for tighter control over migration flows and prevention of crimes committed by citizens of countries that are Russia's near neighbors.

“The Investigative Committee has repeatedly pointed to the steadily growing rate of crimes committed by migrants and people from other former Soviet republics. In Moscow alone foreign citizens and stateless people committed 6,255 crimes in the first six months 2013, which exceeds the rate observed in the similar period last year by 40 percent,” said IC spokesman Vladimir Markin.

As many as 97.9% of these crimes were committed by citizens of former Soviet republics. This year foreigners committed one in six murders and one in three rapes (cleared up crimes).

“This shows that the need for taking the Investigative Committee’s suggestions into consideration has never been more urgent,” said Markin.

As an example he mentioned last Thursday's night-time brutal assault on a 58-year woman resident of Moscow's Novokosino district, which took Moscow police several hours to solve.

The three detained suspects - all migrants from Kyrgyzstan “have already been questioned and made a confession”.

Police searched the men's place of residence and seized six presumably stolen cell phones. The court will soon decide on a restraint measure and charges, depending on the gravity of committed offences. The police will probe into the suspects’ implication in other crimes.