AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Amsterdam police said on Friday said they had identified a torso found wrapped in blue plastic in the IJ river in 2013 as belonging to missing Russian art dealer Aleksandr Levin.
Police spokesperson Wendy Boudewijn said the Dutch authorities identified the remains by DNA testing in 2021, but did not initially release the identity as they have not yet managed to contact Levin’s next of kin.
While there had previously been cooperation with Russian authorities, the February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine has meant contact was severed, Boudewijn told Reuters. Police urged Levin’s next-of-kin to contact the Dutch authorities for more information.
According to Dutch daily Telegraaf, Levin was a wealthy businessman who dealt in icons.
His body, which had the head and limbs severed, was found in the water near Amsterdam’s gentrified docklands across from the central train station in January 2013.
(Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg; Editing by Alex Richardson)
