Siberian Crime Gang Leader Caught in Austria

Austrian police have detained a Russian national believed to have been a key figure in an organized crime gang in Siberia for nearly 20 years, investigators in Moscow said Thursday.

Anatoly Radchenko is accused of leading a gang behind a spate of criminal activity between 1991 and 2009, including at least three murders and two attempted murders, arms trafficking, extortion and fraud.

The suspect, who was dubbed Celentano by Russian media, was arrested in Vienna on Tuesday, four years after being made subject of a manhunt by Russian police. During the detention, police found a fake Czech passport.

Kommersant newspaper reported Thursday that investigators believe Radchenko has links to Alexander Solodkin, a former deputy mayor of Novosibirsk, Russia's third-largest city.

Solodkin and his father are currently on trial over alleged membership in a criminal organization.
Radchenko now faces extradition procedures to Russia as investigations continue. That process could take several months, Kommersant said.

Radchenko was placed on an international wanted list after fleeing Russia in 2009. He reportedly first took refuge in Thailand, where he posted a video accusing Russian police of falsifying the case. He later moved to Europe