The information provided by the merchants on the current situation in Bagratashen Customs Point is being clarified.
The National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia, as a result of operative-intelligence measures conducted within the framework of its control functions in customs legal relations, received data regarding an organized and long-term used mechanism by economic entities for the import of goods (mainly apparel and textile product) without due declaration.
In particular, it was clarified that a group of citizens of Armenia, imported the part of large consignments to Armenia purchased from Turkey for commercial purposes via Bagratashen Customs Checkpoint without declaration or under the declaration of less expensive goods without paying the taxes and duties under customs clearance.
As a result of long-term and extensive operative-intelligence measures for the prevention of the aforesaid process, on May 19 2019, another case of import of goods using the said method was prevented. About 14 tons of different kind of goods wеre disclosed that were transported to Armenia by one bus and 5 “Ford Transit” cars, and only a part of the consignment was declared in the prescribed manner and the rest was either not declared at all or was declared and underwent customs clearance under the name of other consignment with low customs value.
A version is being checked, according to which the illegal transportation of consignments for the mentioned citizens may be successfully implemented as a result of connivance and abuse of official position of the officials of the Division of Bagratashen Customs Point of the Department of the Eastern Customs House of the State Revenue Committee of RA.
Currently joint measures are being taken at Bagratashen Customs Point by the officers of RA NSS and RA SRC in order to inventory the imported goods and calculate the damage caused to the State, but people engaged in trade activities persistently prevent the process having an expectation to continue hidden economic activities through this mechanism.
We also deem necessary to inform that after the inventarization of the goods, calculation of the possible damage caused to the State and payment of the clarified value of taxes and duties required for that, the goods can be returned to the legal owners in the prescribed manner.
The NSS of RA calls to refrain from intentionally rejecting the implementation of legal requirements of the officials, reminds that Article 316 of the RA Criminal Code envisages liability for violence or threat of violence against a representative of authorities, and warns that from now on consistent fight will also be carried out against such occurrences.

Note: A person suspected in or charged with a criminal offense shall be presumed innocent unless proved guilty in the manner prescribed by the Criminal Procedure Code of RA and unless the verdict comes into legal force.