A an alleged member of a criminal ring that is suspected of involvement in at least 40 murders across Russia has been detained in Montenegro.
Russian Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said on February 2 that Ivan Bagayev, aka Tolik, a native of North Ossetia in the Russian North Caucasus, is expected to be extradited to Russia soon.
Bagayev used a forged Ukrainian passport at the moment of arrest by Montenegrin police, Markin says.
Markin said Bagayev is suspected of supplying arms, ammunition, and vehicles for a criminal group allegedly led by Aslan Gagiyev, and of involvement in several murders in North Ossetia in 2008.
Authorities say Gagiyev's gang was established in 2004 and includes about 50 people.
Markin said that 15 members are in custody in Russia, and that Moscow is seeking the extradition of three who were detained abroad, including Gagiyev.
