The court sentenced the ex-chief of the Stavropol traffic police Safonov to 20 years in a penal colony.

The court sentenced Alexey Safonov, the former head of the traffic police department in the Stavropol Territory, accused of creating a criminal community and accepting bribes, to 20 years in a high-security penal colony. This was reported on May 12 by a correspondent of Izvestia from the courtroom.

In addition, he must pay a fine of 100,000 rubles. Safonov was also stripped of his rank of police colonel.

On July 20, 2021, Safonov and six members of the group he led, as well as four civilians, were detained for accepting bribes totaling more than 19 million rubles. A criminal case was opened on the fact of receiving a particularly large bribe. Together with Safonov, almost the entire top of the traffic police department was detained — more than 35 employees.

On the same day, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation published a video from the residence of Colonel UGIBDD in Stavropol. The footage shows the "gilded" interior details and moldings, the house is furnished with expensive furniture. The bathroom has gold-plated sinks and toilets.

In August 2022, the Prosecutor General's Office announced that Safonov's property had been seized in favor of the state for a total amount of 180 million rubles.