On the improvement of the procedure for the storage of seized immovable property

Introduction. The problem of storage of seized property during pre-trial criminal proceedings not only persists, but is becoming more acute due to the increasing use of this type of criminal procedural coercive measure provided for by Article 115 of the Criminal Procedural Code of the Russian Federation. The new Rules on accounting and storage of objects and documents seized in the course of investigation but not recognised as material evidence in criminal cases until recognised as material evidence in criminal cases, adopted by the Government of the Russian Federation on 28 September 2023, do not solve this problem. Several options for solving this problem proposed by scholars are analysed. Methods. In order to solve this problem, we used dialectical, formal-logical methods, as well as the method of interpreting the legal norms of criminal procedure. Results. The article proposes and substantiates the authors’ approach to solving the problem. The essence of the proposal is that the responsible storage and operation of confiscated real estate objects should be carried out by enterprises on a contractual basis. The authors insist on the need for the Main Department of the Ministry of the Interior of Russia to conclude contracts with enterprises for the responsible storage and operation of seized real estate objects. These companies should be responsible for the storage and operation of real estate objects seized by court order until the verdict or other final decision on the criminal case is rendered.