MOSCOW, December 10 (RAPSI) – Escaped Russian citizen Vladimir Zolenko, who had been convicted of committing grave crimes, was extradited from Japan, the Prosecutor General’s Office informed on its website on Tuesday.

In June 2011, the Sakhalin Regional Court sentenced Zolenko to 19 years behind bars for organized car thefts, criminal gang organization for commitment of grave and especially grave crimes, gang leadership and murder.

However, Zolenko escaped and was put on a wanted list, according to prosecutors.

In 2018, law enforcement established his location in Japan and sent the country’s authorities an extradition request. In November, Japanese authorities granted Russia’s request.