The fugitive was arrested in the resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh. According to law enforcement authorities, he was carrying a forged Russian passport, which he had allegedly used for years to travel freely between countries.

Investigators say Sorokin, a native of Tashkent born in 1972 and a former master of sports, began his criminal career in 1990, when he received his first seven-year prison sentence at the age of 18. In the following years, he repeatedly served prison terms for crimes committed in Uzbekistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and other countries. The charges attributed to him include robbery, extortion, illegal arms trafficking and drug trafficking.

He was placed on the international wanted list over a 2021 case. According to investigators, Zhora Tashkentsky and his accomplices used threats, beatings and violence against the family of a Tashkent resident to seize two houses worth a total of $350,000, transferring ownership to their associates.

Law enforcement agencies describe Zhora Tashkentsky as one of the most influential crime bosses in the CIS, ranking fifth in the region’s criminal hierarchy. He specialized in trafficking drugs from Uzbekistan to Moscow, illegal firearms trading and vehicle theft. Through a network of criminal groups, he also allegedly organized the smuggling of drugs, food, cigarettes and prostitutes into prisons in three Central Asian republics.