ORIGINAL ARTICLE in RUSSIAN: http://www.kriminal.lv/news/v-rige-ubit-kriminalynyi-avtoritet-baraban



On tuesday, 15th april boxer Andrejs Barabanovs(Andrey Barabanov) was found dead in Riga near his home at an apartment complex on Maskavas street. He was known as one of Latvia's best boxers, holding titles of ex-champion of Latvia and Europe.

He got the title of Latvia's amatuer boxing champion 9 times. In 2008 he started in professional boxing, won 11 out of 12 fights in the Light heavyweight category. He was known as one of TOP 50 boxers in this category.

In criminal circles he was known by the nickname "Baraban". In 2002 Latvian prosecuters started a case on Narcotics distribution against known boxers in the sports world of Latvia. Under trial were going boxers Andrey "Baraban" Barabanov, Vladimir "Yaponchik" Zubrilin and they're friends who weren't known in the boxing world Aleksandr "Shel" Shelgunov and Vadim Velichko.

Two of the group in the years of trials died. Yaponchik in 2008 in unknown circumstances shot himself. And Shel two years earlier ran away from the country, hiding somewhere in Russia. About Barabanov, he sat 2,5 years in Riga Central Prison(The same prison where I was located last september), then the prosecuter changed his offence to "supporting drug dealers".

HOW THEY WERE CAUGHT

19th September, 2002. In the neighborhood of Sarkandaugava, Riga on Hapsalas street. In an apartment which was being investigated by Police was invaded by Special tacit unit "Omega". In the apartment they found Shelgunov, Velichko and Zubrilin. By rumors, it was said they were getting ready the drugs to be delivered to smaller dealers.

As Zubrilin went outside to throw the packets of drugs in the trash bin, he saw the police units arriving. He started to run, but was caught. As his partners noticed what's happening, they threw the drugs, medicine weights and even the keys to the apartment in the ventilation pipe which led to an apartment down stairs. In the end in the apartment were found 960 grams of methamphetamine and 1000 MDMA pills. After that on Andromedas Street where was located Barabanov's mother's apartment, were found 50 grams of meth and 20 pills of MDMA.

In court Barabanov testified that he didn't know anything about his friends involvement in drug dealing or any other criminal activities. He came to the court to support his friends, but at the end was himself cuffed and taken away. After that as said before, he spent 2,5 years in prison.

In the end Yaponchik agreed to the offences and testified, taking the blame on himself. Saying that Barabanov wasn't involved in any of the criminal activities.

After that followed long trials where two times the judges were changed and the ones being prosecuted were always ill or sick. In 2011 the court ended with Barabanov being announced Not Guilty and Vadim Velichko getting 5 years of probation.

Barabanov was found shot at the apartment complexes door where he lived. Investigators say that as soon as he opened the door he was killed. There were two shots in his chest and the hitman made a control shot in his head right after.
BARABANOV's ACHIEVMENTS
-Champion of Europe in Boxing UBO title, 2011
-Baltic States champion BBU title, 2010
-World champion in amatuer kickboxing, 2000 Greece
- 4 times champion of Latvia in boxing,


WHAT I KNOW PERSONALLY!
Barabanov later has been named in other criminal activities, such as extorting local markets and being a leader of an organized crime group.
My friends who I've met in prison and who know him trough people have told that he was a good person and always answered for his words. People believe that is what got him killed, because he was always fighting for what's right.
He had a young wife and this year his daughter was born also. Also there were rumors that he was going to start his own boxing club to teach others.


Here's a video of his fight with Martiņลก Kukulis. Criminal or not, but he was a good boxer and will be missed by his fans.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7GP0bCPjFo

Last edited by ThePolakVet; 04/18/14 01:24 AM.