MOSCOW, February 22 (RIA Novosti) - South Africa’s authorities have extradited Russian drug lord Alexander Bely to Russia, the Interior Ministry reported Thursday.

According to the Russian ministry, in 2003-2005 Bely was involved, together with his compatriot Andrei Bykov and his relatives, in the smuggling of some 224 kilograms of ephedrine to Russia. Bely bought ephedrine, banned in Russia, in South Africa and transferred it in packages under the guise of bath salt to St. Petersburg.

“Most part of the money received as a result of illegal activity was legalized through bank transfers to Bely in South Africa, as well as through acquisition of movable and immovable assets in Russia,” the ministry said in a statement.

In 2008, three accomplices of Bykov and Bely were found guilty and sentenced to prison terms. Andrei and his wife were extradited in 2009 and got 14 and 18 years in prison respectively.

Bely was detained in South Africa in 2006 after being put on an international wanted list, but the South African authorities failed to extradite him up until now citing various reasons.