Within the framework of the criminal proceeding investigated in the Department of Investigation of Crimes on Human Trafficking, against Sexual Immunity of Juveniles and Illegal Turnover of Drugs of General Department of Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the RA Investigative Committee the count on the attempt of illegal turnover of narcotic drugs of «Marijuana» type in particularly large amount, for the purpose of sale, out of 53 kg narcotic drugs smuggled to Armenia, was grounded.

In the result of coordinated measures taken jointly by the investigators and NSS employees, a number of details of illegal turnover of narcotic drugs were found out, among them the source of procurement of narcotic drugs, two more of those involved in the criminal chain were identified; one of them is an IRI citizen, the other is 23 year-old resident of Yerevan. Through investigation it was grounded that the IRI citizen, with the intent to engage in illegal turnover of narcotic drugs in particularly large amount, reached prior agreement with a Telegram page user and others not identified yet. In order to carry out his criminal intention, he ensured the illegal transportation of «Marijuana» and other types of narcotics in particularly large amount to the territory of Armenia by smuggling across the state border.

Then the IRI citizen told his acquaintance living in Armenia about his criminal intention, as well as promised and provided him with financial support for transporting the narcotic drugs to another place, placing them in various hiding places, taking photos of their location and sending them to him thus making the young man take interest in the deal. 

In the result of investigative actions and operative-intelligence measures it was fund out that in the above-mentioned way narcotic drugs in particularly large amount – over 1 kg of «Marijuana» had been illegally transported to Armenia by the IRI citizen, which by his instruction, were placed in the hiding place by the mentioned acquaintance and the location photos were sent to him.

The latter sent the received photos to those involved in the group, among them a Telegram user, who in his turn sent them to 23 year-old resident of Yerevan. Learning the location of narcotic drug, the latter went there, found the drug packages and attempted to take them. However, he was arrested by the employees of the RA National Security Service.

On the base of the sufficient facts charge was pressed against 23 year-old resident of Yerevan according to the Point 2 of the Part 3 of the Article 44-393 of RA Criminal Code. Detention was applied as a pretrial measure against him.

Preliminary investigation on 23 year-old young man’s part was completed, and the materials of the criminal proceeding with the bill of indictment were sent to court.

It should be noted that several criminal proceedings regarding 8 persons involved in the criminal chain engaged in illegal turnover of narcotic drugs were separated from the criminal proceeding related to about 53 kg of narcotic drugs smuggled to Armenia by the mentioned IRI citizen and were sent to court. Only within one of these proceedings the attempt of illegal turnover of 43 kg of narcotic drugs of several types for the purpose of sale was grounded.

Preliminary investigation of the part regarding others involved in the criminal chain is ongoing.