70 criminals on wanted list in Russia hide in USA: official

About 70 criminals on the wanted list in Russia are hiding in the USA, the deputy head of the National Central Bureau of Interpol at the Russian Interior Ministry, Colonel Alexei Abramov, on Friday said.

According to Abramov, criminals put on the international wanted list by Russia are as a rule hiding in European countries, but there are a lot of such criminals in the USA as well.

"Cooperation of Russian and US law enforcement agencies in that sphere is seriously complicated by the lack of a treaty on extradition," Abramov stated.

However, he noted certain progress in cooperation with American colleagues. "After a years-long break they have deported to Russia three criminals accused of brigandage, intended harm to health, money laundering, swindle and theft," he said.

"Let us hope that this tendency will continue this year, and will contribute to fixing the principle of inevitability of punishment," the colonel emphasized.