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FSB officers bust gang stealing amber from plant in Russia's Kaliningrad

The gang earned $15,442 a day selling stolen raw amber

KALININGRAD, August 22. /TASS/. Security officers have wound up the activity of a criminal gang stealing raw amber from the Kaliningrad amber plant in Russia’s northwest on an especially large scale, the press service of the FSB department in Russia’s enclave Kaliningrad region reported on Monday.

It said the activity was earning the gang one million rubles ($15,442) a day. The total amount of damage to Russia from their activity has not been calculated as of yet.

According to the FSB department, the group cut in the pipeline of the plant which transports amber from the mine to the mining and concentrating station, organizing a manufactory for treating amber which was then sold.

The leader of the group and its active participants were caught red handed when they attempted to steal a next batch of amber. A criminal case has been launched under Part 4 of Article 158 of the Russian Criminal Code (theft on an especially large scale). Investigation is underway.

Russia’s Kaliningrad region contains up to 90% of world resources of amber aged about 50 million years. Stores of the Primorskoye and Palmnikenskoye amber mines are estimated at 116,000 tons.

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