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Russian citizen detained in southern Thailand at Interpol’s request — embassy

The Russian opened criminal case against Vasily Smolnikov

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BANGKOK, August 23. /TASS/. Russian citizen Vasily Smolnikov has been apprehended by law enforcers in southern Thailand’s Songkhla province at the request of Russia’s national bureau of Interpol, head of the consular department of the Russian Embassy in Thailand Vladimir Sosnov told TASS on Tuesday.

"A criminal case against Smolnikov was opened by the Russian Investigative Committee in the Republic of Khakassia. He is charged with giving a large-scale bribe to an official," the diplomat said, adding that the Russian will be deported to Moscow soon and accompanied by Russia’s police.

Smolnikov was the founder of the Chernogorskotdelstroy construction company and lawmaker of a city council in Chernogorsk, the second-largest city in Khakassia. He was arrested in absentia in February and later put on the international wanted list on charges of embezzling funds allocated for building houses for fire victims in the republic and giving a bribe.

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