MOSCOW, June 25 (RAPSI) — Over the past three years, the number of registered drug crimes committed with the use of modern technologies has increased by 2.5 times, Russia’s Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev has said addressing a meeting of the State Anti-Drug Committee. 

According to the minister, such crimes are as a rule committed by organized groups. For example, Kolokoltsev observed, in the Yaroslavl region, police officers could stop the activities of a criminal group that organized the production of synthetic drugs. The sales thereof were carried out on the territory of the Moscow region with the use of the Internet. As a result, the police and investigators, active participants of the group were detained and brought to criminal responsibility. More than a metric ton of synthetic drugs, or more precisely, 1287 kg, precursors, as well as the equipment for production thereof had been withdrawn from the illegal turnover, the minister said.

Kolokoltsev noted that in such cases, timely restriction of access to sites that disseminate prohibited information is of fundamental importance. 

The number of online resources blocked at the initiative of the Ministry of Internal Affairs last year increased by 15% and amounted to about 25,000 websites. The body could accumulate experience in attracting public associations that provide assistance in identifying destructive groups on the Internet. About 60 such initiatives are being implemented in Russia’s regions, the minister specified. 

The head of the Interior Ministry reminded that in February of this year, Russia’s communications watchdog Roskomnadzor launched a mobile application, via which users can quickly file complaints about the posting of drug-related content on the Internet.

At the same time, Kolokolstev stressed, the Ministry could build interaction with representatives of social networks, including the most popular ones, for example, VKontakte. As a result of joint work with its administration, almost 900 drug-related publications were deleted from the network. Since the beginning of this year, owners of social networks are obliged to independently identify and block illegal information, the minister emphasized.