Finnish police have provided Russia with "important documents" allowing it to identify the mastermind of an attempt to hijack the Arctic Sea cargo vessel, Russia's top investigator said on Tuesday.

Alexander Bastrykin, who heads the Investigation Committee at the Russian Prosecutor General's Office, met on Tuesday with Finland's police chief, Mikko Paatero.

"The Finnish side provided us with some important information, allowing the identification of the mastermind of the Arctic Sea hijacking," Bastrykin said, without disclosing the suspect's name.

The Finnish-owned, Maltese-flagged vessel with a 15-member Russian crew disappeared for more than three weeks last summer while carrying a $2-million shipment of timber from Finland to Algeria. It was intercepted by the Russian Navy off West Africa on August 16, 2009. Eight alleged hijackers from Estonia, Latvia and Russia were arrested.

The Basmanny Court in Moscow on August 21, 2009, sanctioned the arrest of the eight suspected hijackers and on February 17 extended their custody until May 18.

The ship's disappearance, which triggered a major international search effort, raised suspicions that it was carrying a "secret cargo" of drugs or weapons. Russian authorities have denied the rumors, saying the vessel was hijacked by criminals who demanded a ransom.

MOSCOW, March 9 (RIA Novosti)