Russia releases US citizens detained on drug smuggling charges ahead of talks between Washington state Moscow
American citizens Arrested in Russia Earlier this month, drug smuggling fees were released from Russian custody.
Karob Wayne Byers, 28, was taken into custody at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport on February 7 after a marmalade containing cannabis was allegedly found in baggage by customs officials. Byers was traveling from Istanbul with his Russian fiancée. His Russian fiancé was also detained.
It was not immediately clear whether the fiance of Byers, who was identified as Naida Mambetva by Russian media, was also released. She was placed in pre-trial custody on the same charge.
Russian authorities said Byers “smuggled a significant amount of drugs” into the country. He was detained on drug smuggling charges and was punished in prison for up to 10 years.
Americans detained in Russia identified as Karob Wayne Byers
Kalob Byers, 28, was detained in Russia on February 7th for drug smuggling fees. (Moscow Municipal Court Press/Reuters)
According to Russian Independence News Outlet Meduza, his parents wrote on social media. According to the Associated Press, US officials confirmed that Byers had been released to the embassy late Sunday evening.
Russia’s liberation buyers appear to be part of an effort to ease tensions between Moscow and Washington Discussions in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
When asked about Byers, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Monday that Moscow would “restor the entire Russian-American relations complex at a Saudi Arabian conference.” He said.
Tensions between the two countries have already begun to soften in recent weeks.
A US citizen arrested in Russia for drug smuggling earlier this month was released prior to talks in Saudi Arabia between Moscow and Washington. (Contributor/Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)
Last week, President Donald Trump overthrew a three-year US policy on Ukraine and Russia, and he and the Russian president were Vladimir Putin They agreed to begin negotiations to end the war.
Americans arrested in Russia have become increasingly common in recent years as Moscow-Washington relations became sour due to the Russian war against Ukraine that began in February 2022.
Some Americans were released in a conversation with prisoners, including Mark Vogel, a Pennsylvania teacher who was imprisoned in Russia on drug charges. He was released last week.
On the left, Russian prisoner Alexander Vinnik was replaced by the right of American teacher Mark Vogel. (Getty Images via Nicolas Economou/Nurphoto/Aaron Schwartz/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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Vogel was detained at a Russian airport in August 2021 when he traveled to work at a Moscow school. He was sentenced to 14 years behind bars for possession of drugs. His family said it was medically prescribed marijuana.
He was released and returned to the US earlier this month. In exchange This includes the return of Russian cryptocurrency expert Alexander Vinnik, who faced Bitcoin fraud charges in the US.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.