The former head of the Stavropol traffic police, sentenced to 20 years for bribery, will appeal his sentence

The Fifth Court of Cassation will hear the appeal of Alexei Safonov, the former head of the Stavropol Krai traffic police. Widely known as the "traffic cop with the golden toilet" due to the luxurious decoration of his home, he was previously sentenced by the Cherkessk City Court to 20 years in a maximum-security penal colony and a fine of 100 million rubles.

Safonov was stripped of his rank of police colonel, and his property was confiscated by the state. The appeal upheld the sentence.

The investigation established that from 2013 to 2021, Safonov organized a criminal scheme to sell "passes" for heavy trucks, allowing drivers to avoid inspections and fines. The income from this scheme amounted to 21.8 million rubles.

Previously, at the request of the Prosecutor General's Office, property worth 180 million rubles was seized from the former head of the State Traffic Safety Inspectorate and his relatives. The list included 22 properties: apartments, cars, non-residential premises, houses, and a mansion with gold toilets.

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