Reputed Russia Crime Boss Extradited From Spain

Spain has extradited to Russia an alleged organized crime boss who has been linked to 27 murders and implicated in seven attempted murders.

Officers of the international police agency Interpol brought Dmitry Belkin from Madrid to Moscow on March 7.

Belkin, who is accused of being a leader of the Orekhovo gang, is charged with organizing criminal groups, murders -- including of a senior Russian investigator -- and attempted murders and with illegal arms trafficking between 1995 and 1998.

The Orekhovo crime ring was also allegedly involved in large scale extortion crimes, infiltration of large Russian commercial enterprises operating in Russia and abroad, and other crimes.

Belkin was arrested in Spain around one year ago. Spain agreed in February to hand him over to Russia.

With Interfax and local media reporting