Large Shipments from Turkey Imported Without Paying Duties: NSS

The National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia has provided clarification regarding the situation at the Bagratashen customs checkpoint, based on information received from traders.

The NSS has acquired data through operational-investigative measures regarding mechanisms regularly used by a group of entrepreneurs to import goods (mainly clothing and textile products) without proper declaration.

Specifically, it has been established that a group of citizens of the Republic of Armenia imported a portion of large shipments acquired from Turkey for commercial purposes through the Bagratashen customs checkpoint without declaration or under the guise of declaring cheaper goods, thus avoiding the taxes and duties due for customs clearance.

As a result of extensive and long-term operational-investigative measures aimed at preventing the aforementioned process, another case of importation of goods through this method was halted on May 19, 2019. Approximately 14 tons of various goods transported by one bus and five Ford Transit vehicles were discovered, of which only a part was declared in the prescribed manner, while the remainder was either not declared at all or was declared and cleared under names of other goods with lower customs value.

There is an ongoing investigation into the hypothesis that the illegal transportation of these shipments may have been facilitated by the collusion or abuse of position by officials from the Eastern Customs Directorate of the RA State Revenue Committee at the Bagratashen checkpoint. Currently, joint measures are being carried out by the NSS and SRC employees at the Bagratashen customs checkpoint to inventory the imported goods and calculate the damage caused to the state, but individuals engaged in trade are consistently obstructing the process with the expectation of continuing shadow economic activities through the aforementioned mechanisms.

It is also important to inform that after inventorying the goods, calculating the possible damages to the state, and accurately paying the required taxes and duties, the goods can be returned to their legal owners in accordance with established procedures.

The NSS calls for refraining from deliberately ignoring the legal requests of officials and reminds that Article 316 of the RA Criminal Code provides for liability for using or threatening violence against a representative of authority. It warns that a consistent fight against such phenomena will continue.

Notice: The suspect or accused in the alleged crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in accordance with the procedure established by the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Armenia by a legally enforceable court decision.