One of the local “thieves-in-law” detained in Stavropol

As it became known to the Prime Crime News Agency, on May 16 officers of the Criminal Search Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the Stavropol region managed to detain “thief-in-law” Nikolay Gagnidze or Gocha Maysuradze, more known in the criminal world as Gogita. During his personal search more than 2 g of heroin were found and confiscated.

Before moving to Stavropol, Maysuradze dwelled in Moscow. In March 1998 he was detained in the capital under suspicion of robbery. Four months later Maysuradze was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment by the Koptevskiy district court; however, subsequently the first sentence of the court was abolished by the decision of Moscow city court, and his case was sent for further investigation. In January 1999 Gogita was released as the period of imprisonment was over.

Experienced officers indicate that Gocha Maysuradze appears to be a mafia boss of medium importance and thus he is not of any special interest for the Police and does not influence major processes within criminal world due to his long-standing narcotic dependence. For the same reason Gogita executes much less authority than such mafia bosses as Gadzha and Leva.

Since the beginning of the year Gocha Maysuradze became the second important person in mafia world after Armen Kanevskoy as the latter was imprisoned and sentenced in the South Federal Region.

Georgian “thief-in-law” deported from Russia detained in Kiev

May 15, Russia: Georgian mafia boss Roin Uglava, 45 years old, known as Matevich, was deported from Russia by regular flight “Moscow-Kiev”.

Starting from January 2009, the criminal authority, who was detained by the Head Department of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs in the Central Federal Region and State Department of Internal Affairs for illegal stay in the territory of the Russian Federation, was kept in prison waiting for his deportation from the RF territory.

As the Prime Crime News Agency previously reported, in February 2007 Uglava was already detained by officers of the same department. Then the question about his deportation to Georgia was not regulated between the diplomatic departments of the two countries. Thus having spent more than a year under arrest Uglava was released. On July 7, 2008 he was detained during police operation on prevention of mafia meeting in Klyazma impoundment but he was released after disciplinary interview.

On January 15, 2009 Matevich was detained again. This time policemen decided to follow the way of the least resistance and to deport Uglava to Ukraine as he was registered in the Donetsk region there.

As officers of State Department of the Ukraine Ministry of Internal Affairs were informed about arrival, they detained Matevich in the Kiev airport. During his personal search drugs were found and confiscated. The detained mafia boss was brought to Regional Department of Internal Affairs of the Shevchenko district of Kiev where official accusation was announced for him.

“Thief-in-law” Rezo Malania buried in Stavropol cemetery

Funerals of Rezo Malania known as Gaga, who passed in away on May 4 in the penal colony No.6 of the city of Kopeysk, took place today on the central cemetery of Stavropol.

Coffin with the body was delivered into Stavropol from the Chelyabinsk region at the beginning of the week. According to Megrelian traditions, the funeral did not take place immediately so that all relatives could come and say the last word to the deceased.

As the Prime Crime News Agency previously reported, Rezo Malania was crowned in Moscow in 1996 by old school “thieves-in-law” headed by now deceased Shalva Dekanosidze, known as “Chushka”. After Dekanosidze’s death "grey eminence" of the criminal world Guram Machavariani, known as Macho or Guram the Old, took supervising over Gaga. In 1999 under supervising of Machavariani Malania settled in the Stavropol region. Following the principles of his teacher, thus not to have own business and not to appear in the role of the arbitrator in the disputes between traders, Gaga mostly made his living by committing crimes. Successful tandem of these two “thieves-in-law” existed till August 2005 when Malania was arrested and accused of a series of armed robberies as a participant of a criminal group. Gaga never again had a chance to see again his teacher Guram who died in a month and a half after his pupil was sentenced to 18 years of imprisonment in April 2007.

As it follows from Malania’s file, one month after arrival in the penal colony No.6 of the city of Kopeysk, Gaga wrote a waiver from thief traditions. Uneven handwriting and formal style of pleading letters can justify that these letters were written upon dictation and in the state of emotion instability.

In spite of the presence of such important evidence, subsequently Rezo Malania did not collaborate with the administration of the colony and did not lose authority among the prisoners. Within the period of his imprisonment, Gaga systematically disrupted the established regime and underwent disciplinary penalties. In accordance with thief traditions being in the “red zone”, he could be placed only in penal insulator where he actually spent most part of his imprisonment period up to the last day.

Though criminal authorities accept that death of Gaga was caused by weak health, relatives of Malania exclude any possibility of an incident. Some time before Gaga’s death another mafia leader Georgiy Pipia died of exhaustion though stated of liver cirrhosis, in whose court procedures Malania was sentenced to be an accomplice.

As they say during the whole winter Gaga was kept in a cold cell. He did not put on the colony robe where it was written that he belongs to the colony division of discipline and order, thus staying only in underwear. According to the investigative information, Gaga died during hunger strike refusing to touch prison plates. After Gaga’s death, weight of his body was not more than 60 kg which normally constituted about 120 kg (at his height of 195 cm). According to the relatives, the chief of penal colony No.6 of city of Kopeysk, Chelyabinsk region, Rustam Karimov swore to Eldar, Gaga’s brother who came to take the body, that Gaga’ death was due to the fault of the Federal Service on Punishment Fulfillment in the Chelyabinsk region.

Such methods of work with prisoners of special contingent, owing to which the Head of Federal Service on Punishment Fulfillment became notorious throughout the country after May 2008, caused quite a controversy reaction even from head officers of legal authorities. Using of repression methods of GULAG is now understood by some officers as lack of qualifications.

Only within last two years 9 “thieves-in-law” died in prisons due to different reasons. Thus the mafia world being worried about its possibility to survive now has made a decision not to accept any waivers which were written upon some threats to health and life. The proof of such decision is “mafia note” where Gaga was called with due respect as “thief-in-law”. Notwithstanding all attempts, Gaga died as “thief-in-law” thus the problem of adequacy of the measures which were applied to him is remained unsolved.

Russia: “Thieves-in-law” first time sentenced for criminal group formation

On May 13 Khabarovsk territorial Court announced an unprecedented sentence to eight leaders of the Far-Eastern criminal group "Obschak" (“Common stuff”). For the first time in the newest history of Russia Court pleaded “thieves-in-law” guilty as per formation of criminal group thus sentencing them to the extended prison sentences.

As it became known to the Prime Crime News Agency, the Court on the basis of accusatory verdict of the jury pleaded Eduard Sakhnov guilty as per part 1, Article 210, Clause “a” part 3 Article 126 of the RF Criminal Code and sentenced him, taking into account punishment for the previously performed crime, to 25 years of imprisonment in the colony of a strict regime and penalty in the amount of 500 thousand rubles. “Thieves-in-law” Oleg Semakin and Oleg Shokhirev as per the same Articles were sentenced to 23 and 20 years of imprisonment respectively and each of them to the penalty in the amount of 500 thousand rubles.

Active participant of the criminal group Oleg Zavalov was accused of performing crimes as per part 1 Article 210 clause “a” part 3 Article 126 of the RF Criminal Code and sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment and penalty in the amount of 250 thousand rubles. The same sentence as per part 1 Article 210 of the RF Criminal Code was delivered to other members of the group – Konstantin Koshelev, Alexander Sitov, Anton Kruzhaev, Aleksey Shchugarev – who were sentenced from 8 to 9 years of imprisonment. According to other articles, incriminated by the state prosecution, the criminals were declared as not guilty as their participation in these crimes was not proved. Also the Court justified Sergey Rumyantsev, Roman Beloborodov and Kirill Zalishchuk completely removing any charge from them.

Georgian mafia boss passed away in the Kopeysk penal colony

As it became known to the Prime Crime News Agency, on May 4, Rezo Malania, 38, Georgian “thief-in-law”, known as Gaga, passed away in penal colony No.6 in the city of Kopeysk, Chelyabinsk region. According to the preliminary data death of the criminal authority was caused by hepatitis virus.

The native of the village Achigvara, Galskiy district, Abkhaziya, was crowned by Georgian mafia bosses in 1996 at the criminal meeting in Moscow. In 1999 Gaga received permanent registration in the Stavropol region where at first he tried to cover his criminal activity by legal business connected with procurement and processing of agricultural production. Possessing “mafia title” Malania supervised pick-up-robbers and also groups involved in qualified blackmailing. And as long as his authority grew, his activity placed a noticeable effect on the criminal situation in the Stavropol region. In the course of time Malania took supervising control over penal establishments, in particular Malania started to appoint colonies “Supervisors” as well as distribute finance flows and provide help to prisoners.

In August 2005 Rezo Malania was arrested and accused of armed robberies in which he participated. Currency exchangers at Moscow exchange points appeared to be the victims of this group. In April 2007 Moscow city court on the basis of accusatory verdict of the jury sentenced Malania to 18 years of imprisonment in the colony of strict regime.

In November 2007 Gaga was conveyed to the Chelyabinsk region. In a month as a result of correctional education Malania wrote a waiver from thief traditions addressing the waive to the Head of penal colony No.6 of city of Kopeysk and to the Head Office of Federal Service on Punishment Fulfillment in the Chelyabinsk region as well as he wrote a plea on accepting to colony division of discipline and order. He called his coronation as a “daredevil act”.

In spite of this, Rezo Malania regularly escaped from fulfilling requirements of colony administration and systematically disrupted the established regime. Most part of his punishment period up to the last day Gaga was contained in the penal insulator.

Mafia clan wars in Moscow detention centre

Yesterday the Judicial Board of Moscow city court has declined the complaint of “thief-in-law” Dzhemal Mamoyan’s attorneys as per resolution of the Nikulinsky district court of the city of Moscow on the prolongation of periods of detention as the Prime Crime News Agency reported today according to Moscow city court press service.

As it was reported earlier, “thief-in-law” Dzhemal Mamoyan, 30, known in criminal world as Dzheko Tbilisskiy, was detained on February 27, 2009 in Udaltsova street during joint operation of Moscow city and Moscow region Criminal Search Department. Policemen of the “Vernadsky Prospect” Internal Affairs Department, where he was taken to, found and confiscated during his personal search 30 g of hashish.

Trying to escape from further responsibility Mamoyan, under the pretext of using the bathroom, shot himself with penknife causing injuries in the groin. Called ambulance brought Dzheko to the Sklifosovskiy Institute. As the current data says, such actions of Mamoyan were not approved in criminal world as they could lead to worsening in general situation of other mafia bosses as well as stiffening of repressions from policemen.

In the beginning of March after surgical operation Dzheko was transferred to the prison hospital of Detention Centre No. 1 “Matrosskaya Tishina”, city of Moscow, where three other “thieves-in-law” from unfriendly clan were detained. All his attempts to establish communication with the group of prisoners of negative trend were suppressed by the prison officers. Then Mamoyan, taking advantage of his mafia name, called the patients of prison hospital to hunger strike. The spontaneous action of prisoners’ disobedience continued for less than twenty-four hours. After some explanatory works the patients ended hunger strike and Dzheko as the initiator of disorders was put into punishment room for 15 days.

At the same time “Supervisor” of “Matrosskaya Tishina” Roma Cherkes received a “progon” (“note”) signed by mafia prisoners close to the clan of Ded Khasan. They asked to stop considering prisoners Ramaz Dzneladze and Ahmed Evloev “thieves-in-law”. It is said that this information was presented from the “thief-in-law” Sergey Asatryan, crowned on November 6, 2008, the same day when Dzheko was crowned. Fulfillment of such decision would definitely lead to granting of all authority to Mamoyan as he was considered to be the most powerful mafia figure within the prison. In order to stabilize operational situation, which could lead to new disorders, the “Supervisor” was urgently transferred to the prison cell of Ramaz Dzneladze, as a result of such actions this criminal note was not fulfilled.

After Ramaz was conveyed to the place of further punishment serving in the Kirov region, distribution of authority within “Matrosskaya Tishina” has not changed dramatically, judging by the persistent attempts of Mamoyan to release from prison.

Newly crowned “thief-in-law” released from Krasnoyarsk prison

One of the “thieves-in-law” will be released today from the Minusinsk prison of the Krasnoyarsk region. Condemned in 2001 in Moscow for illegal drugs storage, the native of Georgia, within 7 years has made a career from a regular prisoner up to the prison "Supervisor" thus reviving tradition (forgotten in the last ten years) of “thief-in-law coronation” in prisons.

Shota Raminashvili, or Lasha Tskhvediani, known in criminal world as Lasha Samtredskiy was transferred into the Minusinsk prison from the Vladimir central prison where on October 22, 2008 he had a “thief approach” from “thieves-in-law” who were imprisoned there - Avto Kopala, Vitalya Tbilisskiy and Merab Sukhumskiy. Prior to coronation Raminashvili was a “Supervisor” of the Vladimir prison and thus he knew how to communicate with prison management. Nevertheless, the new “thief-in-law”, appeared within the walls of the central prison strongly struck the prestige of its administration which should decrease number of “thieves-in-law” but not increase.

In the beginning of 2009 with the purpose of “correctional education” Lasha was conveyed to the Minusinsk prison which is famous for much more strict regulations of imprisonment as well as for accumulated experience of “thieves-in-law” decoronation. At the beginning there were rumors that Raminashvili had given a written waiver from thief traditions as a result of correctional education, as well as another “thief-in-law”, Zviad Dzhincharadze, known as Gorilla, however, according to the latest data, Lasha managed to preserve his mafia title in full.

At present moment, four “thieves-in-law” are kept in the Minusinsk prison as the Prime Crime News Agency reported. After Raminashvili is released from the prison, his holy place will not be empty for a long time as notorious mafia boss Merab Bakhia, known as Bakha-Bakha, prepares to join the rows of Krasnoyarsk "krytniks" (“imprisoned”), going to be transferred to the prison regime from the Republic of Udmurtia.

Armenian “thief-in-law” arrested by Czech police

Yesterday Department for combating organized crime (ÚOOZ) of the Czech Ministry of Internal Affairs reported on detention of four Armenian criminals including one “thief-in-law” in Prague. Four criminals were arrested on March 23 during "Volfram" police operation. The fifth criminal was caught in Slovenia. For investigation purposes, names of the detained criminals are kept secret.

The criminal group was involved mainly in leasing crimes in the territory of the Czech Republic and neighboring Austria as the police stated. Furthermore, its leading ‘thief-in-law’ is suspected to have participated in organization of murder of “Sazka” Company driver as well as in attempted murder of Armenian businessman in Prague in November 2007.

On November 13 on the Wenceslas Square the criminals shot with a knife and wounded the Armenian businessman and escaped from the crime scene, and on November 27 they by mistake shot the driver of Bentley who was driving the same automobile as the assumed victim. One of the murderers has not been detained until now, two others have been kept in prison since December 2007 and November 2008.

The detained “thief-in-law” is Andranik Sogoyan, 40, known in criminal world as Zap (this nickname was given to him for resemblance with one of the first models of soviet cars – Zaporozhets), as the Prime Crime News Agency reported. According to investigative information, Andranik Sogoyan, born in Leninakan, was crowned as “thief-in-law” in 1994 in Moscow upon recommendation of “thief-in-law” Nigal Barsegyan, known as Nikol.

In September 2006 Zap was detained in Sochi casino "Rio" together with “thief-in-law” Temuri Mirzoev. He was accused of illegal stay in the territory of the Russian Federation. In December 2006 upon resolution of the Khostinsky district Court of Sochi, Sogoyan was deregistered from place of registration and next year in April he was deported to Armenia with prohibition of entrance to Russia for five years. Sogoyan moved from Armenia to the Czech Republic. If the Court proves his guilt in preparation of murder, he can get up to 25 years of imprisonment.

In Moscow Thief-In-Law Commited Theft In The Presence Of Policemen

On April 15 during the operation of Moscow investigation department, a 46-year old ”thief-in-law” Igor Glaznev was arrested. He is more famous among criminals as Vova Piterskiy. "Thief-in-law" committed a crime in the presence of policemen who had been following him secretly all day long. Having bought goods in the "Sedmoy continent" supermarket at the corner of Arbat and Smolenskaya square, Vova Piterskiy passed by the cashdesk and did not pay for the products in the amount of 15 000 rubles. We remind that on April 9 Georgian ”thief-in-law” Teymuraz Jalagonia was arrested in the “Perekryostok” supermarket under the same circumstances.

According to Prime Crime News Agency, the criminal career of Igor Glaznev, that led him to the “thief crown”, began in 1982 with the sentence of the military court of Alma-Ata Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic – the future ”thief-in-law” was sentenced to 4 years of prison for malignant hooliganism. In 1991, in Kaliningrad Glaznev was charged of 5 articles of the criminal code: theft, robbery, robbery with extreme violence and swindle and sentenced to 10 years of a strict control penal colony in the Arkhangelsk region. On March 6, 1994, Glaznev got a short vacation from which he did not return. In the course of 1.5 years he was searched by police but it did not prevent him from active criminal activity. Glaznev was arrested in Moscow in August 1995 with the passport of Vladimir Razumovskiy, born in Leningrad (that is why he got this nickname) for taking a hostage and demanding money for his liberation.

On January 17, 1998, during the morning check in the Trial center No. 1 of Moscow Prison “Matrosskaya Tishina”, in one of the cells the body of the Kurganskaya group leader Oleg Nelubin was found who died of several brain injuries. The special group of the Ministry of Internal Affairs came to the conclusion that Igor Glaznev who was at the same trial center, could take part in the murder organization. Despite this fact, the blame of Glaznev was not proved because one of the prisoners accused of several murders took the blame.

After the murder of Nelubin who had been sentenced by the criminal world for the deaths of several ‘thieves-in-law’, career of Vova Piterskiy began to develop successfully. In April, Glaznev was sentenced to 9.5 years of a strict control convict colony and transported to the Republic of Komi where he was supported by local ”thief-in-law” Pichuga. In January 1999, two persons from Moscow, who brought a letter about the positive decision of his question, were arrested. One year after the murder of Oleg Nelubin, Igor Glaziev declared himself ”thief-in-law” with the nickname Vova Piterskiy.

On getting the “title”, Glaznev who caused many problems for the authorities of the colony became unmanageable. In October 1999, Vova Piterskiy was sent to the prison of Dimitrovgrad for 3 years. In the new place, Glaznev not only refused to change his behavior but began to provoke riots among other prisoners. Being a prominent leader of the group of prisoners with negative behavior, Vova Piterskiy promulgated “thief traditions” and treated in a hostile way the administration of the prison who could nether reform him nor undermine his authority. After the end of his prison term, he was sent to Komi. In June 2004, Vova Piterskiy was released 8 months before the expiration of his term because of the criminal legislation change.

Only during the last month, Igor Glaznev who was always very careful, was mentioned in the police reports 3 times. On March 6, he was arrested in the Noginskiy district with Georgiy Sorokin, ”thief-in-law” nicknamed “Zhora Tashkentskiy”, on April 2 – with another “colleague” – Alexey Zabavin nicknamed “Zabava”. In the both cases he was released because policemen were rather interested in his comrades, but last Wednesday the succession of his “casual” arrests stopped.

"Crowned" Prisoner Of Madrid Prison Is On Hunger Strike

Recently Vitaliy Izgilov being under examination has been sent from the prison of Saragosa, famous for its relatively mild control to the prison of Madrid famous for its strict order. To show his protest, he began a hunger-strike and he had been starving for two weeks. He lost 7 kilos and he is under the care of doctors, "Rosbalt" reported.

As Prime Crime News Agency informed before, Vitaliy Izgilov, more famous among criminals as Zver (Russian for the Beast) or Vitalik Makhachkalinskiy was arrested on June 13, 2008 in a resort place Alikante during the police operation "Troyka". The “thief-in-law” was accused of money-laundering.

The former leader of the Vidnovskaya criminal group Vitaliy Izgilov is one of the nearest supporters of Zakhar Kalashov, a ”thief-in-law” having nickname “Shakro the Young” who is under examination for more than two years in one of the prisons of Spain.

In September 2005, Izgilov was arrested by the gendarmerie in the airport of Barselona on a charge of money laundering, but he was let out on a big money bail.

Georgian Mafia Boss Got His Sentence in the Moscow region

Yesterday Mytischi City Court announced sentence to 51 year-old former “thief-in-law” Vladimir Kokhreidze, known as Butkhuz. He was accused of illegal drug keeping and false document usage. The prosecutor tried to get to the sentence of 1 year imprisonment for Kokhreidze meanwhile the defender insisted on his defendant being guiltless and demanded relief during the procedure. As a result, the judge agreed with the accusation and sentenced Kokhreidze to one-year imprisonment. Butkhuz is not going to appeal the case, as his relatives reported to the Prime Crime News Agency. Counting the period that Kokhreidze has already spent in prison during investigating and trial procedures, he has got a little more than 5 months left in prison.

Vladimir Kokhreidze was detained last year, on September 25, during joint operation of Intelligence Bureau of State Department of Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federaion in Central Federal Region and State Department of Internal Affairs of the Moscow region, as the Prime Crime News Agency reported earlier. During personal search of Kokhreidze, 0.81 g of heroin was found and confiscated as well as passport of the Russian Federation citizen issued in 2008 by the Staropromyslovskiy Department of Internal Affairs of Chechnya Republic. After the check by Federal Migration Service the mentioned passport was considered to be illegally issued and confiscated. Criminal case was initiated against Kokhreidze under two clauses of the Russian Federation Criminal Code.

Besides, it was stated that Vladimir Kokhreidze has been wanted by the Khashursky Regional Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia since 2004 for illegal drug storage. As it may happen, after relief from prison Butkhuz will be deported to Georgia as he does not have any legal authority to stay in the territory of the Russian Federation.

Former Criminal Watcher of the Stavropolspkiy Kray Detained in Moscow

Moscow, Sunday: 45 year-old “thief-in-law” Vladimir Zhurakovskiy, more known as Vova Pukhliy (“Vova Plumpy”) was detained duing joint operation of Moscow Criminal Search Department and Department of Criminal Search of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation. The criminal general was caught not far from the “Dolls” night club in Krasnaya Presnya. During personal search of Zhurakovskiy 5.5 g of heroin was found.

Having been several times in prison, Zhurakovskiy previously held position of criminal watcher in the region of Caucasian Mineral Waters, as the Prime Crime News Agency reports. Right after conditional early relief in 2000 Pukhliy got a position of watcher in the city of Pyatigorsk, and next year in June he was crowned as “thief-in-law” upon recommendation of Ded Khasan. As they say, organizing of murder of one of Usoyan’s criminal enemies appeared to be a “pass” toward the criminal circle for Pukhliy.

In his patrimonial region Zhurakovskiy kept under control drug business, alcohol traffic from neighboring Northern-Caucasian republics and cargo transit in the territory of the Stavropolskiy Kray. In 2005 Pukhliy’s intensive activity was not to liking of influential mafia bosses. Zhurakovskiy did not show up at the criminal meeting which was called by Shakro Molodoy (Shakro the “Young”). As a result Zhurakovskiy was deprived of his status in his absence. Several months later Pukhliy moved to Moscow for permanent residence and, as they say, he settled down this matter and managed to get back his title.

Local ‘Thief-in-Law” Detained in Kazakhstan

On April 4 Policemen of Southern Directorate for Combating Organized Crime of the Almata region managed to detain 44-year-old Kazakhstan “thief-in-law” Serik Dzhamanaev, known in criminal world as “Golova” (Russian for “Head”) during operational search actions. The criminal “authority” was detained when he was hunting badgers, 15 km away from his native village Fabrichniy. Serik and his bodyguard tried to fight back to the officers of special “Arlan” group but as a result failed.

During personal search the officers found and confiscated 1.75 g of heroin. By the way Serik’s fellow countrymen strongly refused to help the policemen and participate as attesting witnesses. As a result the mafia boss was finally sent to the temporary detention facility, the police initiated criminal procedure.

Serik Dzhamanaev is suspected to be a participant in kidnapping of Oralgaysha Omarshanova, journalist of “Zakon and Pravosudie” newspaper (in Russian means “Law and Justice”), who was an authorized agent of Golova, as the Chairman of Criminal Police Committee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan says. That was right after the kidnap in 2007 when Dzhamanaev disappeared from police’s field of vision.

Serik Dzhamanaev, after already several times in prison, was crowned as “thief-in-law” on May 26, 1996 in the city of Sochi as the Prime Crime News Agency reports. At the mafia bosses’ meeting the prospect boss was represented by notorious criminal authority Alexander Klauzer, known as Nemets (that means “German” in Russian). As it is said, later in July the Caucasian bosses did not accept crowning of Golova as if it had been performed with breaching of mafia traditions.

Notwithstanding this fact in police archives Golova is known not only as a crowned “thief-in-law” but also as the leader of criminal group “Bashka” (Russian colloquial word for “Head”) which was mostly involved in racketeering. In his native region Serik Dzhamanaev is considered to be one of the most influential criminal authorities with broad criminal connections in Kazakhstan as well as abroad.

Georgian "Thief-In-Law” Arrested Red-Handed For A Theft In A Supermarket

Yesterday in the South-West of Moscow, policemen of the Criminal Investigation Department of Moscow detained 48-year-old Georgian “thief-in-law” Teymuraz Jalagonia, more famous among criminals as Timur or Chinchkhlia. The ”thief-in-law” was arrested when he attempted to steal a bottle of elite wine in the “Perekrestok” supermarket in Golubinskaya street. A criminal proceeding was initiated in respect of Jalagonia in compliance with part 1 art. 158 of the RF Criminal Code.

As per the data of Prime Crime News Agency, Teymuraz Jalagonia, a repeated offender born in Batumi, is an active supporter of Tariel Oniani in his conflict with the crime clan of Lasha Shushanashvili. Timur has something to pay the Tbilisi “thieves-in-law” back. In 1990, upon arrival in one of the convict colony of Georgia, the “thief-in-law” criminal status of Jalagonia was not acknowledged by Paata Chlaidze, another “thief-in-law” who was there. Since that time, Timur has been pursued by the reputation related with his doubtful “thief-in-law” status.

Jalagonia is well-known to the police special agents of Moscow too. In September 1999, the agents of CRUBOP (Central Regional Department of Organized Crime Control) arrested him with a dose of heroin. Till last summer, Chinchkhlia was rather “quiet” before he appeared at the “thieves-in-law meeting” on the Klyazma River.

Among the participants of the “meeting” only Jalagonia attracted attention by his inadequate behavior. They say that before the assault of the vessel (where the “meeting” took place) Timur was under the influence of drugs and when he heard the signal of police siren he drank cognac to conceal his drug intoxication by the alcoholic one. When the Special Forces appeared, he could neither walk independently nor stand. Stripping in front of the camera to his underwear, he affirmed his status and demonstrated his “thief stars” on the shoulders and knees. That time he was chancy and his arrest did not cause him any unpleasant consequences.

In a month and a half, Chinchkhlia appeared again among the supporters of Tariel Oniani, but in a closer circle. In the bathhouse of the “Bacara” casino, he was arrested with Tariel himself and the thieves Tamaz and Chika. This time Jalagonia was sober and behaved with dignity and the degree of personal authority of his companions made the special agents look at him closer.

“Thief-in-law” Armen Kazaryan Detained in Erevan

On April 7 Mafia boss Armen Kazaryan, 44, known as Pzo in criminal spheres, was detained in Erevan, upon arrival from the USA.

Former prisoner Armen Kazaryan, born in Erevan, was crowned in 1991 in Rostov-na-Donu in the presence of such mafia bosses as Kirpich (Russian for “Brick”) and Artyusha, as the Prime Crime News Agency reports. Upon current data, Pzo is considered to be the leader of organized criminal group which is involved in illegal guns, gems and rare-earth metals sale as well as drug business, kidnapping and racketeering.

Two Armenian “thieves-in-law” Abo and Leva were killed on the federal road Rostov-Moscow in December 1993. Armen Kazaryan was a suspect in this case however he managed to escape any punishment as well as in the case of detain in Moscow, same year, when he was a suspect in a group assault related to robbery. In 1995 Pzo himself appeared to be just one millimeter from death when criminal authority Ishkhan Sarkisyan (who had taken part in crowning of Kazaryan) was shot from sniper rifle.

In the beginning of 1998 Armen Kazaryan moved to the USA trying to escape revenge of deceived Dagestan Organized Criminal Groups’ leaders. Pzo received permit for residence in the USA without any problems and bought some property in Los Angeles. In autumn 1999 Armen Kazaryan came back to his country after some conflict in a casino. Once appeared in Erevan he and his friend Armen Manukyan, also “thief-in-law”, known as Seva, were immediately detained as suspects for illegal gun keeping. Though the case was stopped in a week due to insufficient evidence.

But this time Armenian Police are strongly determined to bring Kazaryan to court notwithstanding broad corruption relations of the latter. However, Armenian mass media, already foretasting approaching end of the conflict, has mentioned Kazaryan’s friendship with brother of Armenian President, Sashik Sargsyan, who had also settled in the USA.