The Sunset of the Kazan Phenomenon. The History of the Liquidation of Organized Criminal Groups in Tatarstan

In 1988, "Literary Gazette" and the magazine "Ogonyok" informed the whole country that organized crime exists in the USSR. They also introduced a new concept – "Kazan phenomenon." After that, Kazan became a grim symbol of youth crime and gang conflicts for many years. The book tells about the birth, flourishing, and sunset of the "Kazan phenomenon." The history of the liquidation of criminal groups is shown chronologically (from 1998 to 2011). At the same time, the author – the former head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tatarstan – reveals details that were previously known only to law enforcement agencies. This is a unique testimony from a direct participant in the dramatic events, who personally led the fight against criminals for many years. The author of the book, Asgat Akhmetovich Safarov, began his public service in 1984 as an investigator in the Internal Affairs Department of the Soviet Executive Committee of Kazan. From 1998 to 2012, he headed the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tatarstan. Today, he heads the Administration of the Head (Raisa) of the Republic of Tatarstan.