DATE=1/13/98

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-225226

TITLE=U-S / RUSSIAN MAFIA (L-ONLY)

BYLINE=MAXIM KNIAZKOV

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:  U-S LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS SAY THE UNITED STATES AND 

RUSSIA COOPERATED ON ABOUT 400 CRIMINAL CASES LAST YEAR IN THEIR 

JOINT EFFORTS TO CURB ORGANIZED CRIME.  BUT  THE OFFICIALS TOLD 

AN AUDIENCE IN WASHINTGON TUESDAY THEIR ANTI-CRIME COOPERATION IS

BEING HELD BACK BY THE LACK OF AN EXTRADITION TREATY.  V-O-A'S 

MAXIM KNIAZKOV REPORTS. 



TEXT:  FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION OFFICIAL MICHAEL DI 

PRETORO WAS ONE OF THE FIRST F-B-I AGENTS TO BE ASSIGNED TO 

MOSCOW BACK IN 1994. 



HE SAYS TODAY, DESPITE BUMPS IN THE ROAD, LAW ENFORCEMENT 

CONTACTS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND RUSSIA HAVE EVOLVED INTO 

STEADY COOPERATION. 



                   // ACT ONE DI PRETORO // 



         WE SHOWED UP IN 1994 -- WE HAD MAYBE 30-35 

         INVESTIGATIONS THAT WE BROUGHT WITH US TO TRY TO GET 

         SOME HELP ON.  WHEN I LEFT IN THE SUMMER OF 1997, WE HAD

         AROUND 300 HUNDRED CASES.  PREDOMINANTLY, WHAT WE WERE 

         DOING IN RUSSIA WAS WORKING EITHER FRAUD OR ORGANIZED 

         CRIME. 



                        // END ACT // 



THESE 300 CASES, SAY U-S JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS, DO NOT  

INCLUDE RUSSIA'S REQUESTS TO THE UNITED STATES FOR HELP IN 

CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS.  THEY SAY THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HANDLED

LAST YEAR ABOUT 100 OF THOSE, WHICH REFLECTS A NEW LEVEL OF 

COOPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES. 



OFFICIALS SAY THIS PARTNERSHIP GREW OUT OF AN URGENT NECESSITY.  

THEY SAY RUSSIAN ORGANIZED CRIME SYNDICATES ARE AGGRESSIVELY 

TRYING TO ESTABLISH THEMSELVES ON U-S SOIL.  MR. DI PRETORO SAYS 

U-S AUTHORITIES KNOW NOWADAYS ABOUT THEM A LOT MORE -- THANKS TO 

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THEIR RUSSIAN COLLEAGUES. 



                  //  DI PRETORO ACT #2 // 



         WHEN WE WERE IN MOSCOW IN NOVEMBER, THE MINISTER OF THE 

         M-V-D (INTERIOR) DESCRIBED 12-THOUSAND ORGANIZED CRIME 

         GROUPS IN RUSSIA.  BY THEIR CALCULATIONS, UPWARDS OF 

         60-THOUSAND MEMBERS.  OF THAT NUMBER, HE THOUGHT THAT 

         UPWARDS OF 50 GROUPS ARE OPERATING IN THE UNITED STATES.

         FOR US, THAT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT HIGH, BUT WE KNOW 

         WITHOUT A DOUBT THAT WE HAVE SOME OF THE MORE MAJOR 

         RUSSIAN ORGANIZED CRIME GROUPS. 



                      // END ACT //  



U-S OFFICIALS SAY THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THESE GANGS 

MORE EFFECTIVELY, HAD RUSSIA AND THE UNITED STATES CONCLUDED AN 

EXTRADITION TREATY.  THEY SAY IN ITS ABSENCE, INVESTIGATORS HAVE 

TO RESORT TO PROVISIONS OF THE U-S IMMIGRATION LAW, WHICH ARE  

NOT  ALWAYS APPLICABLE.  



BUT EVEN THAT WAY, SAYS U-S OFFICIALS, THEY HAVE MANAGED TO 

DEPORT TO RUSSIA SEVEN SUSPECTED CRIMINALS OVER THE PAST THREE 

YEARS.  THE RUSSIANS RECIPROCATED BY SURRENDERING FIVE OTHER 

SUSPECTS TO THE UNITED STATES.  (SIGNED) 







NEB/MAX/PT     



13-Jan-98 9:46 PM EST (0246 UTC)

NNNN



Source: Voice of America

.