Criminal proceedings instituted after detention of two cars filled with explosives in North Osetia

Criminal proceedings on the fact of detention of two KAMAZ trucks filled with explosives in North Osetia /a republic in the North Caucasus/ on Monday have been initiated, the Prosecutor General's office in the North Caucasus informed RIA Novosti.

Operations to find and detain those involved in the crime are currently being carried out.

According to the Public Relations Centre of the Russian Federal Security Service /FSB/, on the night of Monday, May 26th, North Osetian FSB officers stopped two KAMAZ trucks carrying several tons of explosives near the administrative border of North Osetia and Ingushetia /both republics border on Chechnya/ nearby the Chermen village.

While the documents were being checked the driver and passengers of one truck jumped out of the cabin and escaped, while the driver of the other truck attempted to force his way through the police cordon. However, after 100 metres the KAMAZ drove down the roadside and tipped over. The driver managed to escape.

The trucks were filled with explosives ready to be used.

On Monday evening the trucks were towed away and exploded. Citizens of the Chermen village were evacuated for security reasons.

According to experts, the force of the explosions was estimated at 1.5-2 tons of TNT and was equivalent to the bomb set off by terrorists on May 12th in Chechnya's Znamenskoye village.