Arrest made in Russian art dealer's 2013 murder in Amsterdam

The police arrested a 62-year-old man from Amsterdam for the murder of Russian art dealer Aleksandr Levin in Amsterdam ten years ago. Levin’s torso was found in the IJ in the Dutch capital in 2013. The victim was only identified last year.

The police arrested the suspect after a DNA match with traces on the torso and the items the body part was wrapped with, the police said on Tuesday. The police said nothing further about the suspect’s identity, only that the investigation was ongoing.

A passerby found the torso on the bank of the IJ near the NDSM shipyard on 30 January 2013. It was wrapped in blue plastic and tied with brown rope. No other body parts were ever found.

“What has now also been established is that the torso was removed from the water near the home of the arrested suspect in Amsterdam-Noord,” the police said on Tuesday. “Although it was more than ten years ago, detectives still appeal to the memory of possible witnesses who saw something suspicious or striking in this area, but at the time hesitated to speak to the police.”

The police also released a photo of the victim after speaking with his relatives in Russia. Levin, then 65, was involved in the art and antiques trade. “By showing his photo, the investigating team hopes to gain new information from people who may know more about the victim or who may have seen or spoken to him shortly before his death.”

The police are looking for witnesses, tips, and any information that may be related to the investigation. A reward of 15,000 euros is on offer for useful information.