Penza, 21 April 2015. PenzaNews. The officers of the Head Department of Economic Security and Graft Prevention of the Russian Ministry of the Interior, in a joint operation with the FSB and the Interior Ministry departments of the Saratov and Samara region and the Interior Ministry department of the Penza region, have stopped a crime ethnic group suspected of stealing crude oil and oil products from oil transportation pipelines in the Central Povolzhye.

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“We began analyzing the crime group in September 2014. During numerous countermeasures split into series of stages, we have registered and filed over 10 illegal major pipeline tie-ins, collected information on the structure of the crime group, its organizers, active members, as well as oil processing facilities and transportation schemes. The leader of the group and two members were caught red-handed at one of the tie-ins. Later on, the law enforcement officers detained four more suspects,” the press service of the Russian Ministry of the Interior informed PenzaNews agency.

According to available information, the criminals were selling the stolen goods to several illegal oil refineries, the law enforcement representatives clarified.

“Based on preliminary calculations, they stole about 800 tons of oil over 10 million rubles worth, and their ill gains may have exceeded 300 million rubles,” the ministry said.

The press service explained that the MVD department of the Ulyanovsk region will be initiating criminal proceedings under Art. 210 of the Criminal Code, titled “Creation of a Criminal Organization and Participation Therein,” against eight people involved in the crimes, based on the gathered information. Seven of them are currently in custody.

“One of the members of the crime group managed to escape the law. We are currently searching for him,” the officials noted.

The Ministry of the Interior added that they are investigating other crimes that potentially may have been caused by the group.