Russia’s FSB detains two Vladivostok police officers in bribery case

Two police officers in Russia’s far eastern city of Vladivostok have been detained on suspicion of taking bribes from foreign nationals in exchange for helping them legalise their stay in the country, regional investigators said on May 13.

Russia’s Investigative Committee in the Primorsky region said the two senior district police officers were accused of accepting bribes, an offence punishable under Article 290 of the Russian criminal code, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.

The officers were detained by operatives from the regional branch of the Federal Security Service (FSB), authorities said.

Investigators allege that one officer received at least 90,000 roubles ($1,100), while the second received at least 60,000 roubles. The alleged offences took place between June and September 2023.

The regional interior ministry said the officers were suspected of taking payments in return for preparing documents that enabled foreign citizens to legalise their residence status in Russia.

Police authorities in Vladivostok said an internal investigation had been launched and that the two officers had been suspended from duty pending the outcome of the probe.

By Aghakazim Guliyev