Collaboration between the RA Investigative Committee and several institutions of the U.S. Department of Justice continues to evolve.

On February 14 a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the RA Investigative Committee and the INL Office of the U.S. Department of Justice. It was signed by Arsen Ayvazyan, the Deputy Chairman of the RA Investigative Committee, on the one hand, and Michael Rzepczynski – Special Agent in Charge for the Middle East Division of the Drug, on the other hand.

Argishti Kyaramyan, the Chairman of the RA Investigative Committee and Kristina Alison Kvien, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States to Armenia were present at the memorandum signing ceremony.

The memorandum of cooperation stipulates the close cooperation between the institutions in the fight against crimes related to the illegal turnover of narcotic drugs, their analogues and precursors, as well as money laundering resulting from this criminal activity. It is aimed at the exchange and analysis of operational information within the framework of investigations of the mentioned types of crimes, providing mutual assistance to prevent and counter the illegal flow of funds related to the illegal turnover of narcotic drugs, similar substances and precursor chemicals, promoting international cooperation in this field, professional development of personnel in the criminal legal fight against these types of crimes through various measures.

Argishti Kyaramyan, the Chairman of the RA Investigative Committee, who had arrived at the meeting with the delegation headed by Kristina Alison Kvien, U.S. Ambassador, attached importance to the memorandum signing. Mr. Kyaramyan mentioned that the document not only strengthens the capabilities of the RA Investigative Committee in the fight against illegal turnover of narcotic drugs and money laundering related to it, but also takes the cooperation between the Investigative Committee and various institutions of the U.S. Department of Justice to a qualitatively new level. Argishti Kyaramyan reminded that in May, 2023 a memorandum of cooperation was also signed with Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the U.S. Department of Justice, which operates on a large scale, proving its high efficiency.  

The Chairman of the RA Investigative Committee thanked the U.S. Embassy in Armenia for providing serious support to the expansion and deepening of cooperation between Armenia and the U.S. law enforcement bodies.