The number of crimes committed by foreigners in Russia decreased by 40% during the year, the head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Kolokoltsev said in a report to the Federation Council. He also announced plans to make the acceptance of documents and medical examinations of entries the authority of government agencies, eliminating middlemen.
We note that in recent years the authorities only report an increase in the number of offenses among visitors, that is, the turning point in the situation is clear. Such a sharp turnaround and high reduction figures (by 40%) should not confuse. After the immigration legislation was tightened, many violations were discovered, and now we see the results of the work done by the authorities - a decrease in crime.
A lot was done for this: a register of auditees appeared, the Ministry of the Interior received the right to deport foreigners without trial. Also, the immigration service can now carry out an operational investigation activity, which made it possible to move from the fight against individual violations to the elimination of organized illegal immigration channels.
Of course, there is still much work to be done - ethnic organized crime groups have not gone away, nor has the need to monitor visiting operatives. However, the fruits of the reforms are evident, and together with plans for innovations - ranging from greater control over travelers' papers and health to tracking their location by geographic location - they allow us to hope for further progress in this area.