A high-ranking member of the Russian mafia, who bore the status of “Vor V Zakone”, (Thief in Law), wanted by the Spanish authorities with a European Arrest Warrant, was arrested by the Greek Police in Kavouri, Attica.

The mobster was located after a routine police search operation based on intelligence by police officers of the Department for the Prosecution of Criminal Organizations and Transnational Affairs of the Organized Crime and Trafficking Sub-Directorate of the Attica Force. The suspect wasd detained during search of his car, when officers found a pepper spray and a pistol case.

The man allegedly presented a fake Georgian passport to the arresting officers, who managed to identify the man after cross-checking his details with Spanish police. It was revealed the detainee was on Europol’s arrest warrant data base.

According to the prosecution documents, the man is wanted by the Spanish authorities, on charges of forming and participating in a criminal organisation, illegal possession of weapons, forgery, fraud and money laundering.

As it turned out in recent years, he lived permanently in Varkiza in Southern Attica and used varying ID papers, presenting himself either as a Russian or as a Georgian.

The suspect, who had the status of Thief in Law, a revered title in the Russian underworld, was taken before the competent Prosecutors.