MOSCOW, December 7 (RAPSI) – Damage caused by corruption-related crimes has exceeded 123 billion rubles (about $2 billion) over the past 7 years, Chairman of Russia’s Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin has stated during a conference in the All-Russian State University of Justice.

The crackdown on corruption in Russia has picked up steam, the Investigative Committee’s press service quotes Bastrykin as saying.

According to the statement, the Investigative Committee follows the policy of seizure of assets belonging to defendants in corruption cases for further possible confiscation ensuring the compensation of damages caused by these crimes.

Within the last 7 years, over 71,000 corruption-related cases were forwarded to courts for hearing. The number of cases against corrupt organized groups and criminal communities, which were transferred to court, reached 453.

Charges were brought against 78,000 people, who committed 166 corruption crimes in total, the Investigative Committee’s statement reads.