Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) announced Tuesday that, following successful cooperation with U.S. authorities, they had recently seized large quantities of cocaine and broken up an international drug-smuggling ring.
In a rare statement regarding cooperation between law enforcement from Moscow and Washington, the FSB confirmed the seizure of 330 kilograms (728 lbs) of cocaine in and around the capital of Moscow with the help of the U.S. Justice Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
“A multi-state investigation by the FSB and the U.S. Justice Department disrupted a transnational criminal community that specialized in smuggling cocaine from South America to Russia and other European states,” the state-run TASS news agency cited the FSB’s statement as saying.
The joint operation, which began in St. Petersburg back in May, led to the eventual arrest of members of a drug cartel that smuggled cocaine from South America to Europe and Russia. According to the FSB, the total value of the cocaine seized was around billion roubles ($13.6 million). Video provided by the FSB to local media showed plainclothes agents dragging suspects from cars before seizing boxes packed with cash and drugs.
“At the final stage of the operation, despite the use of increased secrecy measures and various tricks by the drug dealers, a cache was found in the Moscow region in November 2020, whereupon examination at least 295 kg of drugs were found,” the FSB statement continued.
The statement added that the FSB’s Investigative Department will pursue criminal charges against members of the criminal organization having already placed them in pre-trial detention.
Despite the breakdown in bilateral relations between Russia and the U.S. in recent years over issues such as interference in the 2016 presidential election and the latter’s continued military involvement in Syria, the two countries continue to cooperate on issues concerning international security and crime.
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