The National Security Service of  RA, being faithful to the  adopted policy aimed at eliminating various manifestations of corruption, as a result of operational and search measures and investigative activities undertaken within the functions vested upon it by the law and aimed at countering corruption, detected another case of receiving a bribe in especially large amount.

In particular, factual information was received according to which the Shift Supervisor  of  Bavra Customs Point carrying out the functions of the representative of authority of the RA State Revenue Committee’s Northern Customs House Department, as well as two customs inspectors, after accepting the offer of freight forwarding organization’s co-owner on 25 January 2020, agreed to release the cargo-4.5 tons in total- transported from Georgia by the above-noted company from the customs area without proper customs control and custom formalities in exchange for a bribe in especially large amount- USD 3000, equivalent to AMD 1.436.610.

As a result of this, the employees of the RA State Revenue Committee, according to a preliminary agreement, acting out of self-interests and against the service interests, didn’t perform their official duties – the truck, which entered the Bavra Customs Point from Georgia early in the morning on 6 February 2020, was not subjected to customs inspection by them. On the contrary, in order to eliminate the barriers while accomplishing the criminal objective, one of the customs employees applied to his acquaintance who, in exchange for USD 200, with his actions distracted other customs inspectors at Bavra Customs Point , as well as other services present at the customs zone, and as a result of this, the members of the group, with the abuse of official powers, allowed the truck driver to leave the territory of the customs house without subjecting the cargo to customs clearance, thus discrediting the state institution , undermining its normal activities and causing a significant damage to the legal interests of the state. But under the operational control of the officers of operational units of the RA NSS, they were caught and brought in; one of the customs employees confessed having committed the crime.

According to the corresponding articles of the RA Criminal Code, a criminal case has been initiated on the fact of an apparent crime in the Investigation Department of the RA NSS; 4 persons, who committed an alleged crime, have been detained. Preliminary investigation goes on; measures are being taken to establish the circle of persons involved in the corruption chain and to give a criminal-legal assessment to the act committed by them.

Note: The suspect or accused of an alleged crime is considered innocent as long as his/her guilt is not proven in a manner prescribed by the Code of Criminal Procedure of RA - by the court decision entered into legal force.