A case of creating, leading a group with criminal subculture, being involved in it, doing actions in favor of a number of people for illegal remuneration in Lori was disclosed.   

On November 3, 2023 a report was received from lori Regional Department of the RA National Security Service informing that the residents of Spitak town of Lori region, H.S. and G.A., being involved in the implementation of the goals of the group with criminal subculture, through violence, threat, compulsion or other illegal actions solved the problems related to private issues of the citizens who had turned to them receiving illegal payment for it.

Through investigative and evidentiary actions conducted in Lori Regional Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee it was found out that H.S., being considered a person with the highest status - authority in the criminal hierarchy according to the rules of conduct defined and recognized by the criminal subculture group, between May and October, 2023 kept in constant touch both with persons of the highest status in the criminal hierarchy, the so-called "thieves in law", and with convicts serving prison sentences in penitentiary institutions, created a unit with criminal hierarchies and interpersonal hierarchical relations involving G.A., who is in a close relationship with him, and had been previously convicted for four times of crimes committed with intent, and other persons who have not been identified yet, and through violence, threat, compulsion or other illegal actions, with the intent to receive illegal income, solved problems related to public and private issues.

Through investigation factual data were obtained that through G.A., the member of the group with criminal subculture led by H.S., the latter first promised the resident of Vanadzor town, then took measures to return the debt in the amount of 800.000 AMD lent by the latter to another person, by using the illegal influence of the group and, if implemented, according to prior agreement, 400.000 AMD would be handed over to H.S. and G.A. by the mentioned resident.   

Besides, H.S. together with G.A., since the period between May and August, 2023, had demanded money from father and son Ch.-s, residents of Spitak town, and had presented the monetary demands by humiliating the honor and dignity of them, uttering phrases causing mental coercion, using sexual insults. When the latters could not give the demanded money, they demanded and factually took the car of «Volkswagen Passat» make owned by them after which, under the pretext of having troubles with the car, they periodically demanded and received money in various amounts which was possessed by H.S. and G.A..

Besides, between July and October, 2023 H.S., from a person, engaged in car repairing, who had turned to him to solve private issue by using his illegal influence, in connection with postponing the terms of providing the money for the sale of the car purchased by the latter to the seller and rescheduling the refund to the owner of the car due to not completing the repair of another car within the specified period, using his authority to solve the problems with the mentioned persons, he demanded and received various amounts of illegal remuneration.

In another case, in October 2023, H.S., causing S.H., a resident of Spitak community to take interest, telling that he recognized him as an authority, a so-called "problem solver", promised to inform about it also other persons with the highest status in the criminal hierarchy and introduce him to them. After it he assigned S.H. to take the promised money from the fellow villager for solving the private issue by using his illegal influence. In response, the fellow villager asked H.S. to postpone the payment of the money, to which the latter agreed.

Besides the above-mentioned, H.S. during the same period, frequently illegally procured various types of drugs from different persons.

On the base of the obtained sufficient facts charge was pressed against H.S. according to the Point 5 of the Part 2 of the Article 323 and against G.A. according to the Part 1 of the Article 324 of RA Criminal Code.

Preliminary investigation on two defendants was completed. The materials of the criminal proceeding, with the bill of indictment, were sent to the prosecutor.

Preliminary investigation on others possibly involved in the group with criminal subculture, as well as to find out the source of procurement of narcotic drugs is ongoing.