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FSB seizes 41 kilograms of gold from illegal miners

According to the report, the illegally mined gold was sold in Yekaterinburg

MOSCOW, October 21. /TASS/. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has seized 41 kilograms of gold nuggets and bullions worth 300 million rubles ($3.1 million) from a group of illegal gold miners in the Ural, the FSB Center of Public Communications reports.

"Members of an interregional criminal group specializing in illegal placer gold mining in several Russian regions were detained in the Chelyabinsk Region," the center said. "Gold nuggets and crafted gold bullions with a total weight of over 41 kg, amounting to about 300 million rubles, along with equipment for precious metal mining, were confiscated from the detainees during operational and search activities and urgent investigative actions," it added.

The illegally mined gold was sold in Yekaterinburg.

The FSB investigative unit for the Chelyabinsk Region has instituted criminal proceedings for the illegal turnover of precious metals on a particularly large scale, which could result in involuntary work or custodial restraint for up to five years.

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