In the result of large-scale investigative and procedural actions conducted within the criminal proceeding investigated in the General Department of Investigation of Particularly Important Cases of the RA Investigative Committee, as well as operative-intelligence measures taken by the Police officers, a criminal group engaged in large-scale illegal turnover of narcotic drugs through “Telegram” and money laundering in particularly large amount with the involvement of multiple persons was disclosed.
 

Particularly, through investigation it was found out that A. Manukyan, K. Manukyan, H. Galstyan, who is the son of the chairman of the party “Public Voice” Artak Galstyan, as well as a number of persons not identified yet, since 2019 have created and managed online store-platforms named “N…”, “Na..” and almost 7 other ones with similar names on “Telegram”. On those platforms they inserted photos of various drugs – their quantity, costs pursuant to weight, provided data about crypto currency wallets of Dashcoin and Bitcoin type changing periodically, planned for transfer of the money to be paid for drugs procured through correspondence.
 

As a result, between 2019 and 2023 the above-mentioned persons through the mentioned store-platforms illegally sold narcotic drugs of “Methamphetamine” and “Marijuana” type in particularly large amount to various people, as well as with the purpose of sale illegally circulated drugs of “Cocaine”, “Methamphetamine”, “LSD”, “Marijuana” and “MDMA” type in particularly large amount.
 

The financial means received in the result of illegal turnover of narcotic drugs have made 1.152.734.220 AMD in total.
 

The accomplices provided that the narcotic drugs in particularly large amount should be separated according to weight, be packed and be placed in advance in the hiding places in different cities of the RA. Then the drug locations were photographed, the geographical coordinates of their locations were indicated through a software application and were sent to the persons who had had correspondence with them to procure narcotic drugs through the above-mentioned online store-platforms. After reaching agreement with the latters it was required to transfer the amount for the relevant dose of the drug to the changing crypto currency wallets of Dashcoin and Bitcoin type. After receiving the money the data of the drug locations were sent to them.
 

In order to conceal the criminal origin, movement and allocation of the above mentioned financial means in particularly large amount, to make the received funds look legitimate that is with the intent of money laundering, from the beginning the mentioned three persons gave the customers crypto currency wallets changing every day.
 

In parallel, in "Idram" payment and accounting system they registered e-wallets identified in their names, as well as in the names of multiple individuals related to them. Then after receiving the amount transferred to over thousand crypto currency wallets of Dashcoin and Bitcoin type conducted by them, they transferred it to various persons and organizations engaged in exchanging crypto currencies operating at the RA area and on “Telegram” application. Then they instructed to transfer the AMD received in the result of the exchange to e-wallets registered in their names, as well as persons related to them – V. Galstyan, B. Saqanyan and A. Markosyan, in some cases to bank cards, which were cashed and possessed by the members of the group.
 

On the base of the obtained facts a motion was submitted by the investigative body to the prosecutor to initiate a public criminal prosecution against A. and K. Manukyans, P. Harutyunyan and H. Galstyan according to the Point 2 of the Part 3 of the Article 393 and the Point 3 of the Part 3 of the Article 296 of RA Criminal Code, against K. Shahbazyan according to the Point 2 of the Part 3 of the Article 393 of RA Criminal Code, against V. Galstyan, B. Saqanyan and A. Markosyan according to the Point 2 of the Part 3 of the Article 46-393 and the Point 3 of the Part 3 of the Article 46-296 of RA Criminal Code. They were sufficed. Charge was pressed against 5 of the mentioned persons, among them V. Galstyan, they were detained. Detention was chosen as a pretrial measure against H. Galstyan, as well and search was declared. The latter was found in Georgia and arrested. A legal process was initiated to transfer him to the competent authorities of the Republic of Armenia.
 

Public criminal prosecution was initiated against the other two persons under prosecution and a decision on their arrest was made in order to bring the accused to court.
 

Note; Everyone charged with alleged crime offence shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law.