Russian admirals suspected of weapons smuggling

Russian military prosecutors have launched an investigation into a group of naval officers and businessmen suspected of stealing and smuggling weapons to sell to China.

Russia’s chief military prosecutor has been reported by the Interfax news agency as saying the investigation would focus on a group suspected of smuggling 30 anti-submarine missiles and 200 aerials bombs to the central Asian republic of Tajikistan.

It is suspected the weapons were to be sold to China for $US18 million.

A source has told Interfax that high-ranking naval officers, including vice-admirals and rear-admirals, could be involved.

The unnamed source says before the weapons were smuggled, they had been written off as obsolete, and more than $1.5 million of state money had been allocated to dispose of them.

By Moscow correspondent Scott Bevan
Feb. 25, 2009

Source: ABC News

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