News - The Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation

At the request of the General Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation, the competent authorities of Venezuela are extraditing Stanislav Ruzhitsky to face criminal charges for the crimes provided for in Article 30 part 1, Article 228.1 part 3 para “a”, “d”, and Article 228.1 part 3 para “d” of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation as amended by the Federal Law No. 87 of 19.05.2010 (preparation for the illegal sale of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, committed by an organized group, on an especially large scale, illegal sale of narcotic drugs on an especially large scale).

According to investigators, Ruzhitsky created an organized group in 2009. For conspiracy purposes, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances were delivered by cargo mail to the warehouse of one of the transport companies. Further, according to the approved scheme, prohibited substances were seized from the received cargo and placed in hiding places in the Moscow Region for their subsequent sale.

In the period from 2011 to 2012, the group’s criminal activities were suppressed, its members were detained and prosecuted.

Stanislav Ruzhitsky, aware of the detention of his accomplices, managed to escape and go abroad. At the request the Russian Prosecutor General's Office, in February 2016 he was put on the international wanted list.

In connection with the detention of Ruzhitsky on the territory of Venezuela in April of this year, a request for his extradition was sent.

Thanks to the clear and coordinated actions of the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation, organized close cooperation with the competent authorities of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, it was possible to achieve a positive decision on his extradition.

Accompanied by officers of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia, the accused will be taken to Moscow in transit through Turkey.