MOSCOW, October 23 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's special investigations committee on Friday charged the interior minister of the east Siberian republic of Buryatia with smuggling.

Viktor Syusyura, the top law-enforcement official in Buryatia, was arrested on Saturday in the republic's capital, Ulad Ude, as part of an investigation into a smuggling case, and his office and apartment were searched. On Tuesday, a Moscow court formally sanctioned his arrest.

According to the investigation, Syusyura received monthly kickbacks from members of an organized crime group for facilitating the movement of illicit goods from the Middle East to southern Russia, as well as impeding the legitimate activity of law enforcement agencies under his control.

Forty-four counts of smuggling were brought against him. Investigators also claimed he had cost the state some 50 million rubles ($1.7 million).

Syusyura was brought to Moscow's Lefortovo pretrial detention center under heavy guard on Sunday morning.

The ongoing investigation is connected with Syusyura's previous job, when in 2001-2006 he headed a southern Russian transport police department and was responsible for security at ports, railroad stations, bridges and tunnels in Krasnodar Territory.

Andrei Shurupov, acting head of the tax crimes department in Buryatia's Interior Ministry, was also arrested.