A total of 388 illegal casinos have been shut down in Moscow over the past 1.5 months, the chief of the Russian capital's police Vladimir Kolokoltsev said in an interview with government daily Rossiiskaya Gazeta.
Illegal casinos have mushroomed across Russia since a law came into force in July 2009 banning gambling everywhere except in four remote zones.
In one such case, police launched a probe into a gambling ring outside of Moscow last week after a tipoff from a member of the ring. Chief prosecutor Yury Chaika ordered immediate checks at regional prosecutors' offices across Russia.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Monday that Moscow Region legal officials suspected of aiding in the operation of illegal gambling should be tried according to the law.
Moscow Region prosecutor Alexander Mokhov, deputy prosecutor Alexander Ignatenko and several others have been suspended after police found evidence that they "hushed up" an illegal gambling ring.
"Laws should be equal for all," Medvedev said during a Kremlin meeting on Monday.
Gambling boss Ivan Nazarov and two of his partners, as well as five police officers have been arrested and could face up to 10 years in prison if found guilty.
MOSCOW, February 23 (RIA Novosti)
