Posted April. 22, 2003 22:27,
Far Eastern mafia boss Naumov Vasilii (55) who was gunned down last Thursday in Pusan was found to have been wanted by the Russian Public Security Office under suspicion of murdering a general in the Russian Border Patrol.
Boris Grizilow from the Russian Ministry of Home Affairs said on his visit to the Far East on Monday, “Vasilii is the prime suspect in Gen. Valerty Ganow`s death last May.” Gen. Ganow, who was in charge of Sakhalin Border Patrol, was murdered at in his apartment by a gasoline bomb. His wife was seriously wounded in the attack.
Vasilii, called ‘the king of fish’ in the local community since he was influential among Far East fishery product smuggling organizations.
He escaped to Japan during the investigation, then sneaked into Korea last December. Nicolai Kvozd (39), also shot in Pusan, was known to be Vasilii`s ‘right hand’.
Vasilii was also involved in the hijacking of a trawler, the Tulun, in the East Sea last November, reported Russian daily Vlema Rnovosteii. The Tulun was initially reported to have been boarded by pirates and the Russian Pacific Squadron and naval vessels of the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force were dispatched, but later it was revealed to be a dispute among Russian fishery companies.
“This dispute caused by a conflict in fishery interests in the Far East is connected to the murder case of Governor Valentin Chivetkov of Magadan State who was gunned down on Arbat Street in Russia last year,” said Mr. Grizilow, at a press conference with Russian State TV, during a visit to Vladivostok, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and other regions. “It is all because of fish.”
Meanwhile, Young-do police station, currently investigating the murder, is having great difficulties as crucial evidence has yet to be found, and witnesses refuse to talk.
According to the police, Nicolai has now recovered from his wounds but is not revealing anything. Also, Vasilii’s fishery business partner Krgopolow Aleksei (27) was sent home as he refused to talk.
Since the suspect may try to leave Korea, police are monitoring closed-circuit television screens at Gimhae Airport and Inchon International Airport based on the montage and are cooperating with the Russians.