02 august 2018

The RA NSS has Disclosed Various Drug Smuggling Criminal Groups

The National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia within the activities aimed at the fight against illicit drug turnover and drug smuggling, disclosed and neutralized various criminal groups dealing with the smuggling of drugs of especially big amount.
In particular, as a result of operative-search measures and other investigating activities conducted by the NSS officials, in June 2018, a transnational criminal group was revealed, the members of which, using Armenia as a transit country, attempted to smuggle different types of drugs of especially big amount from the Islamic Republic of Iran to Georgia.
The preliminary investigation of the criminal case initiated by the Investigation Department of the National Security Service of Armenia revealed that the citizen of Armenia V.G., who was in the IRI, had acquired from an unidentified person especially big amount of drugs: about 40 grams of “opium”, about 3 kilograms of “heroin” and more than 2 kg of "marijuana" drugs. Later on, due to the prior agreement, V.G., through an unidentified person, by means of throwing the said drug amount over the barbwire near the Armenian-Iranian border, transmitted it to the RA citizen R.O. The latter, in his turn, attempted to transfer the drug batch by a taxi to Shamlugh village of Lori province, but was detained by the NSS officers on the way. Continuing the operative-search activities, the NSS officers ambushed and arrested the same day also the citizen of Georgia G.G. who illegally crossed the Armenian-Georgian border and arrived at the mentioned place, and who had to move the drugs to Georgia and hand over to another person.
Within the criminal case, an indictment was filed to R.O. under 2nd clause of 3rd part of Article 266 and 1st clause of 4th part of Article 267.1 of the RA Criminal Code, and to G.G. under 1st part of Article 329 and 2nd clause of 3rd part of Article 34-266 of the RA Criminal Code, and to V.G. under 1st clause of 4th part of Article 38-267.1 and 2nd clause of 3rd part of Article 266 of the RA Criminal Code. Detention was chosen as a restraint against them.
The preliminary investigation goes on.
Over the past two months, as a result of operative-investigative measures and other investigating activities conducted by the NSS officials other groups dealing with drug smuggling and illicit drug turnover have also been revealed.
In particular, the criminal case initiated in May 2018 by the Investigative Department of the NSS of the Republic of Armenia revealed that the RA citizen H.K, making a prior agreement with the RA citizens G.N., H.T. and Syrian citizen K.P., via Tehran-Yerevan flight, hiding from customs control, transferred to the territory of Armenia an especially big amount of illegal drugs, about 50 grams of "methamphetamine" and a considerable amount of 4.5 grams of "hashish" drugs that was illegally obtained in IRI. However, the latter was detained at “Zvartnots” airport by NSS officials. The entire batch of drugs was discovered in his personal belongings and in the battery compartment of his guitar.
On the occurrence of an alleged crime, H.K, G. N., K.P. and H.T. were charged with the relevant articles of the RA Criminal Code. Detention was chosen as a restraint. H. T. is declared as a wanted person.

The preliminary investigation is in process.

According to the data obtained from another criminal case initiated by the ID of the RA NSS, in July 2018, the RA citizens D.A. and E.T. crossed ‘Meghri” customs station to the territory of IRI and illegally procured about 300 grams of opium drug. The same day, bypassing the customs control by means of hiding the drug in the rectum, moved the drug through the RA State Border, but were detained by the NSS officials in “Meghri” customs station.
D.A. and E.T. were charged with the relevant articles of the RA Criminal Code. Detention was chosen as a restraint.

The RA NSS has Disclosed Various Drug Smuggling Criminal Groups