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)

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Source: Voice of America

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