Yerin said 6,600 gangsters have been convicted this year, and he credited a decree by President Boris Yeltsin in June that gave police broader search and arrest powers.
Yerin told reporters at a news conference that some 3,700 criminal cases have been filed against organized crime groups this year. This represents an increase of 42 percent compared to the same period in 1991, Itar-Tass reported.
The presidential decree has also been criticized by human rights groups and others as unconstitutional.
"The system is not standing still -- it is developing and growing stronger," Yerin said.
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