Former U.S. diplomat and U.S. citizen Mark Vogel has been arrested on charges of smuggling and possession of drugs on a large scale. Lately he has worked at an Anglo-American school. As part of the investigation, law enforcement officers searched the building of the educational institution.

11 g of marijuana and 8 g of hash oil

“A US citizen (Mark Vogel -) was detained, a criminal case was initiated against him on the grounds of a crime under part 3 of article 229.1 and part 2 of article 228 of the Criminal Code RF. Since the suspect could hide from the investigation on the territory of the embassy, ​​the Khimki city court chose a measure of restraint in the form of detention for him, ”the website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Media reported on Thursday.

After initiating a criminal case, the police officers conducted a search at the place of residence of the detainee. Vogel was detained back in August 2021 at Sheremetyevo Airport.

At the end of December 2021, the US Embassy in Moscow refused to comment on the report about the arrest of an American citizen to reporters, citing the confidentiality of information. But after the message from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the press secretary of the American diplomatic mission, Jason Rebholz, told RIA Novosti that the diplomatic department was monitoring the situation with Vogel's detention.

“We take our responsibility to help American citizens abroad very seriously and are monitoring the situation,” he said.

On Thursday, January 27, the MIA Media website published videos of the search of Vogel's luggage at the capital's airport, as well as footage of a recent search at the Anglo-American school where he worked.

Shortly after the detention of a foreigner in the summer of 2021, the Baza Telegram channel clarified that the man was 60 years old. The suspicious objects found in his suitcase were confiscated and sent for examination. Experts studied the liquids and the contents of the packages and came to the conclusion that the American allegedly tried to bring five packages of marijuana lenses and 14 cartridges for electronic cigarettes into the Russian capital. More precisely, 11 g of marijuana and 8 g of hash oil. Vogel could face up to 20 years for this offense.

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Drug supply channel

“Mark Vogel and his wife arrived in Moscow on a flight from New York. At Sheremetyevo Airport, while passing through the "green corridor", a man was stopped by Sheremetyevo customs officers. The reason was the reaction of service dogs, which are trained to detect prohibited substances, to his luggage,” the MIA Media publication says.

It is also reported that marijuana and hash oil were found during a search of Vogel's luggage. Moreover, the drugs were carefully disguised: “marijuana was packaged in packaging from contact lenses, and cannabis oil was in cartridges for electronic cigarettes.” All this was wrapped in polyethylene and hidden in sneakers.

The former American diplomat was accused of smuggling and storing narcotic drugs on a large scale. In addition, the investigators found that Vogel's wife, who was allowed to go home from the airport, managed to get rid of the evidence in the apartment before the operatives arrived. According to the Interior Ministry, CCTV footage shows her taking precautionary measures to “take a package out of the house and throw it in a trash can.” Later, she took it, put it in a bag and took it outside the residential complex.

“Mark Vogel turned out to be a teacher at the Anglo-American school, and was previously an employee of the US Embassy in Moscow. Until May 2021, like his wife, he had diplomatic status. According to one version of the investigation, the person involved could use it to organize a channel for the supply of drugs to Russia with the aim of subsequent sale among the students of the specified school, ”the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs says.

PMC member Alexander Khurudzhi said that marijuana was found in a US citizen, TASS reported in December 2021. According to the human rights activist, Vogel said that he needed marijuana for medicinal purposes, as he was experiencing lower back pain.

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Search in an Anglo-American school

The Ministry of Internal Affairs also released a video of a search in the premises of an Anglo-American school in Moscow. The footage shows how the investigator, together with the operatives, enter the school, speak with its representative, and warn about the search.

Police officers then inspect the premises of the educational institution with a service dog. A traffic police officer is also shown examining Vogel's papers.

The Anglo-American school has been operating in the northwest of Moscow since 1949. The official website of the educational institution states that 1,200 students from 60 countries of the world study at the school, from preschool to grade 12. The Educational Institution employs 150 teachers and 13 people holding administrative positions. School staff are predominantly citizens of the United States, Great Britain and Canada. The educational institution is accredited by various American and European educational associations.

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