In the result of large-scale investigative and procedural actions conducted within 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, as well as operative-intelligence measures taken by the RA Police officers, one of the most massive cases on illegal turnover of narcotic drugs and narcotic drug smuggling was disclosed.

Particularly, through long-term and tactically effective preliminary investigation it was found out that the RA citizen M.A. living in the Republic of Ukraine, in order to transport drugs of various types in particularly large amount through the territory of the Republic of Armenia, as well as to sell narcotic drugs in particularly large amount in the RA territory, created and managed a criminal organization. Through investigation 10 more members of the group were identified. B.A. and A.H. were involved in the criminal group as leaders, N.M., G.A., H.H., M.A., Z.H., V.M., S.D., H.G and others not identified yet, were involved as participants.

Pursuant to the obtained factual data, in 2020 separate members of the group, mainly at the instruction of the persons acting as leaders, sold about 1 kg 360g «Heroin», 15.12g «Methamphetamine», «Morphine» in the amount not exceeding 1g, «Acetylcodeine» organizing and ensuring the placing a part of them in different parts of Yerevan, among them near a restaurant complex, medical center, speedometer device, which were acquired by other persons identified and not identified yet. A part of the drugs could not be realized as some of the members of the group were arrested and through their personal search as well as search conducted in their apartments, carս and other buildings the mentioned drugs were found.

Besides, in the result of the prior agreement reached between the leader of the criminal organization M.A. and IRI citizen, the citizen of the Republic of Iran, through the members of the criminal group ensured illegal transportation of 2570g «Heroin» first, then 4964g «Opium», 4982g «Heroin», 3965g «Methamphetamine» through the territory of the Republic of Armenia to abroad and sell it in the Republic of Armenia. However, in one case the IRI citizen on the way from Kapan town to Tsav village, in another case one of the members of the criminal group transporting the drug by car on the way to Yerevan, were caught by the police officers and detained. Moreover, it took place in the result of cooperation between separate members of the group and law enforcement bodies.

Later the leader of the criminal organization A.H., through the accomplices acting under his direct leadership, ensured the sale of drugs in particularly large amount transported to the RA by smuggling with his involvement, instructing other members of the group to transport them to the garage rented by a member of the criminal organization for keeping narcotic drugs after which he organized their separation to various weights and their placement in hideouts.

It was also found out that in order to receive the next batch of drugs in particularly large amount in 2021 from Iran, at the instruction of the leader of the criminal organization, in August of the same year one of the group's members left for IRI and stayed for a month at the house of an Iranian citizen cooperating in Iran, as a guarantee of payment for the shipment of drugs. During that time the latter smuggled 4 kg drugs of «Methamphetamine» type.

For the purpose of selling drugs, user accounts were created on «Telegram» social site by a member of the criminal group, through which in 2021-2022 narcotic drugs were illegally sold to persons who had applied online, and the amounts were transferred by the buyers to electronic wallets managed by the accomplices.

A large part of narcotic drugs procured by the criminal organization for sale, among them 1725g «Methamphetamine», 1025g «Heroin», 450g Acetylated opium, 987,5g Opium, 716g Marijuana, as well as other drugs in various weights Cocaine, Hashish oil, «Hashish», MDM, «MMBA(N)-BZ-F» were found through personal search of the leaders and separate members of the criminal group, as well as searches conducted in their cars, garages.

A charged pistol of TT type procured illegally by one of the leaders of the criminal group A.H., bullets for firearms of different caliber, hand fragmentation grenade. Of P-1 type were also found.

Within the framework of the criminal proceeding, in order to create an illusion of helping preliminary investigation and cooperation, A.H. committed false crime reporting accusing of grave crimes and creating artificial evidence of accusation. Particularly, while giving testimony as an accused A.H. told the investigative body that the IRI citizen, by smuggling, through truck drivers, transporting the narcotic drugs to Armenia by placing them in the hideout prepared in the car beforehand, was engaged in illegal turnover of narcotic drugs in the RA and between May 11 and 14 a truck would enter the RA transporting 1kg «Methamphetamine» and 1kg «Heroin» to Yerevan which the driver was going to hide in a specially adapted storage on the car.

After it, learning that a truck carrying cargo had started from the IRI to the RA, at A.H.’s instruction, in order to create artificial evidence, three members of the group secretly, with wire and rope fixed a box with 930g «Heroin» and 1005g «Methamphetamine» in it, under the truck trailer owned and driven by an IRI which was found through inspection. However, through investigation the mentioned crime was disclosed and criminal prosecution against the IRI citizen was terminated; charge had been pressed against the latter for illegal turnover of narcotic drugs in particularly large amount and smuggling, and detention had been chosen as a pretrial measure against him.

Through the electronic devices used by the leaders of the criminal organization B.A., A.H. and participants Z.H., S.D., H.G., V.M. the investigative body got access to 193 electronic wallets. It was found out that the total amount of the money entered to them, received as a result of illegal turnover of narcotic drugs exceeded 2 billion 200 million AMD through which money laundering was committed.

On the base of the obtained sufficient facts appropriate charges were pressed against 7 of the group members, among them group leaders. Detention was chosen as a pretrial measure against them.

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

Preliminary investigation on others involved in the group, other possible sources of narcotic drugs and their volume is ongoing.