Biker Putin on Finland's secret blacklist

Russian President is 'wanted criminal' according to Finnish register

Biker Putin on Finland's secret blacklist

Biker Putin on Finland's secret blacklist

VLADIMIR Putin was placed on a list of wanted criminals in Finland for his ties to a motorcycle club, the Night Wolves.

Others with their name on the same list would be detained at the Finnish border as a wanted criminal, tried and possibly sent to jail.

When news of Putin's listing spread, it caused a shock reaction from the Finnish Interior Minister, Paivi Rasanen who said: "Sincere apologies for the incorrect registry entry. The Interior Ministry considers it of grave concern if a member of the police has made such groundless entries into the database of suspects"

Finland's intelligence may have come from an episode in 2009 when Putin visited a biker's club called the Night Wolves. The club's leader, known as 'the Surgeon' gave Putin a tour of the club. Putin then joined club members and other bikers at a 5,000-strong rideout where he rode a Harley-Davidson trike.

Was this an honest administration mistake, or is Putin genuinely suspected by Finland of having connections of organised crime?

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