close
close

FSB closes underground casino in southern Russian prison

Russia's domestic intelligence service FSB has uncovered an illegal gambling operation in a penal colony in the Rostov region, local media reported on Monday.

FSB agents seized playing cards, casino chips, a mobile phone, SIM cards and other equipment used to operate the illegal casino in penal colony No. 14 in the city of Novocherkassk, according to a statement from the regional FSB office cited by the news website 161.ru.

A photo shared by the FSB shows several sets of casino chips and playing cards seized during the joint raid with prison authorities.

One inmate was identified as the organizer of the gambling ring and reportedly paid winners an average of 100,000 rubles ($1,100) per month via bank transfer, which was made twice a month.

According to 161.ru, citing an anonymous law enforcement source, the organizer is a 30-year-old prisoner serving a four-year sentence for theft. He now faces an additional two years in prison for illegal gambling activities.

The FSB raid followed two recent prison uprisings in the Rostov and Volgograd regions, which raised concerns about significant security gaps in the Russian prison system.

A message from the Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. The Russian Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an “undesirable” organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our previous unjustified designation as a “foreign agent.”

These measures are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim that our work “discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership”. We see it differently: we strive to provide accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, will not be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a big difference. If you can, please support us monthly from just $2. It's quick to set up and every contribution has a big impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you are defending open, independent journalism against repression. Thank you for supporting us.

Continue

Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

You may also like...