Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Mafia Boss Arrested in Thailand

A Russian mafia gang leader wanted back home for his alleged involvement in scores of killings and other criminal activities since 1995 was arrested in Thailand while living on a retirement visa, police said Wednesday.


The mafia boss, Alexander Matusov, was arrested Monday in front of a supermarket in Thailand's eastern seaside town of Sattahip in Chonburi province, said Police General Wut Liptapanlop.


Matusov's network "Chelkovo" was active from 1995 to 2009 and was notorious for killings, extortion and kidnappings in the Moscow and St. Petersburg areas, according to Alexei Falunin, a Russian diplomat in Bangkok. "They were responsible for a lot of killings and his detention is very important to us," he told The Associated Press.


Authorities issued arrest warrants for Matusov and other gang members for allegedly murdering four members of a rival gang in 1996.


Wut said the 52-year-old first entered Thailand in 2009 and left before returning on a fake Armenian passport. He said Matusov had been living in Thailand on a retirement visa.


Thai immigration police had revoked his visa and were pushing for his deportation to Russia for prosecution.

See also:

Moscow Police Break Up Mafia Boss 'Coronation'

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more