A criminal group engaged in illegal turnover of narcotic drugs and smuggling was disclosed.

In the result of large-scale investigative actions conducted 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 it was grounded that with the intent to engage in drug smuggling and illegal sale, between 2019 and 2022 30 year-old resident of Yerevan A.K., with prior agreement with fellow citizens 31 year-old R.B., 26 year-old A.S.,23 year-old V.Ch, 32 year-old V.G. and other persons, through telegram pages created and managed by him and his accomplices, had been engaged in illegal turnover of narcotic drugs in particularly large amount for a long time, for that purpose he organized and managed the illegal transportation of narcotic drugs in particularly large amount by smuggling along the customs borders of the Eurasian Economic Union and the state borders of the Republic of Armenia.

Through investigation data were obtained on the allegation that between 2019 and 2022 A.K., R.B. and A.S. through shopping platforms «@ngers», «Ismoke», «SchockMaster» and others with similar names, created and managed on «Telegram» telecommunications application, were engaged in illegal turnover of narcotic drugs in particularly large amount involving V.Ch., V.G., A.G. and other accomplices.

A.K., R.B. and A.S. had correspondence through the mentioned telegram shopping platforms about the price and terms of drug procurement with those who had expressed a desire to procure narcotic drugs and after reaching agreement with them, required to transfer the amount for the relevant doze of the drug to the payment instruments managed by them.  

V.Ch. and V.G., first as a drug installer and then as a warehouse keeper, ensured that narcotic drugs in large amount were separated by weight, packaged and pre-placed in hiding places, after which drug locations were photographed, the coordinates of their locations were marked using a software application and sent to the shopping platform managers.

After the buyers had sent the photos of the receipts confirming the fact of depositing money into the accounts managed by the accomplices, photos of various types of narcotic drug locations pre-installed in hideouts with exact coordinates were sent to them. In this way, the group illegally sold various types of narcotic drugs in particularly large amount to many people.

The narcotic drugs of «Methamphetamine», «Marijuana» and «α-PVP», in particularly large amount, for illegal sale through the above-mentioned online shopping platforms managed by A.K., R.B. and A.S., were found in the result of the search conducted in V.Vh.’s house. Besides, the latter also presented narcotic drugs of «Methamphetamine», lSD ((+)+-+Lysergide, LSD-25), «α-PVP», « Mephedrone», «Methylenedioxymethamphetamine», «Hashish oil», MMBA(N)-073 type in various amounts, as well as 11 packages filled with «Marijuana», «MMBA(N)-073» and «MDA-19» pre-placed at the area of Yerevan.

Drugs of the same type in particularly large amount - in different weights, as well as psychoactive substance of «Pregabalin» type were found in the apartment used as storage for the above-mentioned shopping platforms, V.G.’s factual residence, in the apartment owned by his parents and in R.B.’s apartment.  

Through investigation factual data were also obtained on the allegation that through the mentioned telegram shopping platforms A.K. organized and managed the regular illegal transportation of narcotic drugs in particularly large amount, by smuggling, hidden in technical equipment, to the RA. As a result, between 2019 and 2020 narcotic drugs of various types in particularly large amount were transported from the RF to the RA by A.G. in the above-mentioned way. A part of them was sold through the online shopping platforms and were found due to an appropriate procedural action.

Besides, A.K. using telecommunication systems also organized and managed the procurement of illegal drugs from the USA and smuggling them to Armenia through a cargo transport organization, their receipt by accomplices after receiving the consignment in the RA. The batch of the drugs transported illegally to the RA, drugs of «Methamphetamine» և « Cocaine» type in particularly large amount, was found through inspection of the consignment imported to the RA from the USA.

On the base of the obtained facts charges were pressed against A.K., V. Ch. And V.G. according to the Point 2 of the Part 3 of the Article 393 and the Point 2 of the Part 3 of the Article 46-399 of RA Criminal Code, charge was pressed against R.B. – according to the Point 2 of the Part 3 of the Article 393 of RA Criminal Code.

Detention was used as a pretrial measure against 5 persons. Later it was replaced with other pretrial measures against 3 of them.

Preliminary investigation on the part of the mentioned persons was completed, materials of the criminal proceeding were sent to the prosecutor for approval and referral to court.

Preliminary investigation is ongoing to find other members of the criminal group, to find out the source of procurement of narcotic drugs, as well as the whole volume of financial means received as a result of turnover of narcotic drugs.