Massive Russian underworld network dismantled in Spain: police

0 Comments | AFP, June, 2008

MADRID (AFP) — Spanish authorities said Friday they had broken up a massive Russian criminal network operating in the south of the country, arresting 18 people.

The Tambovskaya-Malyshevskay gang is the "largest criminal organisation of Russian origin in the world" and has been "totally dismantled", police said in a statement.

It said 400 officers took part in the crackdown in southern Spain, from where "they planned their criminal activities in Russia, in several countries of the European Union and in the United States."

"They controled the criminal activities of lower-ranked leaders", which included murders, weapons and drug trafficking, racketeering and influence peddling.

The gang also carried out money laundering through financial institutions in...