Within the application of the law criminalizing acts related to criminal subculture, the National Security Service of RA and the RA Police are carrying out consistent activities for an uncompromising fight against the criminal subculture and aimed at preventing and neutralizing possible resistance attempts of the persons or groups bearing this subculture. Consequently, based on the received factual data, as a result of large-scale investigative and other procedural activities—within the criminal case initiated on 13 March 2020 in the Investigation Department of the National Security Service of RA, according to the corresponding articles of the Criminal Code of RA—as well as due to the comprehensive and effective operative-search measures undertaken along with these activities by the forces of the RA NSS and RA Police, it became possible to disclose  criminal schemes of creating and managing—by persons with the highest status of criminal hierarchy—groups bearing criminal subculture, as well as schemes of participating in or involving in a group bearing criminal subculture and applying to a participant of a group bearing criminal subculture or to a person with the highest status of criminal hierarchy.

Based on the reasonable suspicion of creating and managing—by a person with the highest status of criminal hierarchy—a group bearing criminal subculture, so-called “thief-in-law” Arsen Mkrtchyan, aka ArsenYerevanski, and, based on the suspicion of participating in a group bearing criminal subculture by a person with the highest status of criminal hierarchy, of being involved in the implementation of the goals pursued by this group, of organizing gatherings for a group bearing criminal subculture or participating in these gatherings, Armen Melkonyan, aka Basar, were brought to the Investigation Department of the RA NSS on 21 May 2020.

Furthermore, 8 individuals were brought in on suspicion of addressing a participant of a group bearing criminal subculture or a person with the highest status of criminal hierarchy for the purpose of obtaining material or non-material benefit or other advantage by using the unlawful influence or implementing real or alleged rights of a person, participating in a group bearing criminal subculture or becoming involved in the implementation of its purposes or organizing or participating in the gatherings of a group bearing criminal subculture.

22 searches in total have been carried out in apartments and cars of the above mentioned individuals, as a result of which, money in especially large amount and drugs, as well as other subjects important for the criminal case have been detected and seized.

7 of the individuals who had been brought in by the Preliminary investigation body and were detained in the manner prescribed by the Code of Criminal Procedure of RA and a written undertaking not to leave the place was applied as a measure of restraint against 3 individuals.

Active measures are being taken to detect and prevent other criminal acts of persons involved in the criminal scheme.

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.