MOSCOW — The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Russian customs officials agreed today to cooperate in fighting "economic contraband," the State Customs Committee said.
FBI Director Louis Freeh and Russian Customs Committee Chairman Mikhail Vanin discussed ways to combat cross-border economic crimes at a meeting in Moscow.
"An important result of the meeting was the agreement reached on coordinating joint activities in uncovering and preventing crimes in the area of economic contraband," a Customs Committee statement said.
Western law enforcement officials say they are worried that illegal drugs traffickers may be establishing new routes through Russia and other former Soviet states.
The Group of Seven leading industrial nations has also named Russia as one of 15 states deemed non-cooperative in the fight against money laundering.
Freeh had told a news conference on Thursday that he hoped to strengthen cooperation with Russia in battling "international terrorism," transnational financial crimes and an upsurge in computer crime.
Swiss Attorney General Valentin Roschacher was also in Moscow on Friday for talks about investigating cases of alleged money laundering and bribe-taking involving Kremlin officials.
Swiss magistrates have already issued a warrant for a former top aide to ex-President Boris Yeltsin, Pavel Borodin, in a probe into a web of deals related to two Swiss-based construction firms.
Borodin and the companies have denied wrongdoing.
The Russian prosecutor's office said Roschacher had held one-on-one talks with Russian chief prosecutor Vladimir Ustinov.
"The federal prosecutor of Switzerland noted the Russian side's openness. In his words, the meetings are taking place in a warm, trusting atmosphere," it said in a statement.
Russian media have reported in recent weeks that Swiss magistrates, who have made available copious documents to Russian prosecutors, were becoming frustrated at the apparent lack of action by Moscow.
The Russian statement quoted Roschacher as saying the Russian side had assumed certain concrete obligations.
It gave no details, but said talks were continuing and further documents would be handed over by the Swiss.