Tweet
Russian police spokesman outlines impact of foreigners on crime figures
ITAR-TASS news agency
7 Dec 04
Moscow, 7 December: The number of crimes committed by foreign nationals
in Russia continues to rise, reporters were told today by the head of
the Interior Ministry's Criminal Investigation Directorate, Viktor
Pansuyev. Foreigners have committed nearly 41,500 crimes since the
beginning of the year, which is 20 per cent more than in the same
period of last year.
Most offences by foreigners concern the use and manufacture of false
documents (27 per cent), theft (18 per cent), drugs trafficking
(10.5 per cent) and also robbery, mugging and fraud, Pansuyev
said. "According to statistics, cit izens of CIS states are the most
criminally active and account for over 92 per cent of all offences,"
he said. Citizens of more distant countries - China, India, Lithuania,
Vietnam, Latvia and Mongolia - account for less than 0.5 per cent.
Migration is one of the main causes of higher crime by foreigners,
Pansuyev reported. "We are particularly concerned by the fact that
Russia has become a bridgehead for illegal migration. Expert analysis
indicates that there are about 4m foreigners in the country illegally."
At the same time the number of crimes committed against foreign
nationals is down, Pansuyev continued. Just 8,600 have been recorded
this year. "The victims are most often foreign nationals who are
permanently resident in Russia, here on business or as tourists, or
here seeking employment," he added. According to the figures, nationals
of Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Moldova are the
most frequent victims of crime. Most of these offences are committed
in and around Moscow and also in St Petersburg and Leningrad Region.
"One in five offences in Moscow is committed by or with the complicity
of foreign nationals," ITAR-TASS reported at 1008 gmt, quoting the
head of the Moscow CID, Andrey Reznikov. "Over 15,000 have been
recorded since the beginning of the year, which is an increase on
last year. At the same time, Reznikov pointed out, 3,300 crimes were
committed against foreigners in the city in the first 11 months of
this year, which is 700 more than last year."
"The Interior Ministry forecasts that the crime situation in this
respect will deteriorate," ITAR-TASS said in another report at 0959
gmt, quoting Pansuyev. "Foreigners tend to 'have large sums of foreign
currency and possess expensive hi-tech devices. While in Russia they
engage in business and thereby attract the attention of criminals,
including of their own compatriots'," he said. Pansuyev added that
there are over 33,000 foreign students in Russia, and 283 crimes
against them have been recorded this year.
"He said the largest diasporas from the CIS are the Ukrainians, Azeris,
Tajiks, Moldovans, Armenians and Georgians, and from further abroad
the Chinese, Vietnamese, Indians and Turks," RIA-Novosti news agency
reported at 0954 gmt. "This influx of foreign nationals is causing
a rise in crime linked to them," it quoted Pansuyev as saying.
ITAR-TASS news agency
7 Dec 04
Moscow, 7 December: The number of crimes committed by foreign nationals
in Russia continues to rise, reporters were told today by the head of
the Interior Ministry's Criminal Investigation Directorate, Viktor
Pansuyev. Foreigners have committed nearly 41,500 crimes since the
beginning of the year, which is 20 per cent more than in the same
period of last year.
Most offences by foreigners concern the use and manufacture of false
documents (27 per cent), theft (18 per cent), drugs trafficking
(10.5 per cent) and also robbery, mugging and fraud, Pansuyev
said. "According to statistics, cit izens of CIS states are the most
criminally active and account for over 92 per cent of all offences,"
he said. Citizens of more distant countries - China, India, Lithuania,
Vietnam, Latvia and Mongolia - account for less than 0.5 per cent.
Migration is one of the main causes of higher crime by foreigners,
Pansuyev reported. "We are particularly concerned by the fact that
Russia has become a bridgehead for illegal migration. Expert analysis
indicates that there are about 4m foreigners in the country illegally."
At the same time the number of crimes committed against foreign
nationals is down, Pansuyev continued. Just 8,600 have been recorded
this year. "The victims are most often foreign nationals who are
permanently resident in Russia, here on business or as tourists, or
here seeking employment," he added. According to the figures, nationals
of Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Moldova are the
most frequent victims of crime. Most of these offences are committed
in and around Moscow and also in St Petersburg and Leningrad Region.
"One in five offences in Moscow is committed by or with the complicity
of foreign nationals," ITAR-TASS reported at 1008 gmt, quoting the
head of the Moscow CID, Andrey Reznikov. "Over 15,000 have been
recorded since the beginning of the year, which is an increase on
last year. At the same time, Reznikov pointed out, 3,300 crimes were
committed against foreigners in the city in the first 11 months of
this year, which is 700 more than last year."
"The Interior Ministry forecasts that the crime situation in this
respect will deteriorate," ITAR-TASS said in another report at 0959
gmt, quoting Pansuyev. "Foreigners tend to 'have large sums of foreign
currency and possess expensive hi-tech devices. While in Russia they
engage in business and thereby attract the attention of criminals,
including of their own compatriots'," he said. Pansuyev added that
there are over 33,000 foreign students in Russia, and 283 crimes
against them have been recorded this year.
"He said the largest diasporas from the CIS are the Ukrainians, Azeris,
Tajiks, Moldovans, Armenians and Georgians, and from further abroad
the Chinese, Vietnamese, Indians and Turks," RIA-Novosti news agency
reported at 0954 gmt. "This influx of foreign nationals is causing
a rise in crime linked to them," it quoted Pansuyev as saying.