Five Individuals Charged with Illegal Drug Trafficking

The Investigation Committee of the Republic of Armenia is conducting an investigation in the Syunik region regarding the illegal possession, transportation, and smuggling of especially large quantities of narcotics. This is reported by the press service of the Investigative Committee.

As a result of joint measures undertaken by the employees of the Syunik regional investigative department and the Kapan division of the Police of Armenia, a resident of Yerevan, born in 1955, was apprehended on October 15, 2019, around 18:20, at the Meghri customs checkpoint while attempting to illegally transport a significant quantity of drugs across the state border of the Republic of Armenia and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

A criminal case has been initiated under Article 266, Part 3, Clause 2, and Article 267.1, Part 4, Clause 1 of the RA Criminal Code. During the pre-trial investigation, various investigative and procedural actions were carried out that clarified several circumstances of the case.

According to the investigation, on October 15, 2019, around 18:20, the Yerevan resident, using a method of concealing the substances under their clothing, illicitly possessed, transported, and smuggled across the state border of the RA a particularly large amount of narcotics weighing 102.15 grams of marihuana, 62.19 grams of opium, as well as 60.64 grams of a crystalline substance similar to methamphetamine, which were found and seized from them during a personal search on the same day.

As a result of extensive investigative and operational measures carried out during the examination of the criminal case, additional illegal acts regarding drug acquisition, possession, and trafficking by four other residents of the Syunik region were uncovered. Evidence was obtained indicating that these individuals acquired drugs both from a 64-year-old resident of Yerevan and from each other.

During the pre-trial investigation, a series of investigative actions were conducted, including searches at the residences and vehicles of the aforementioned individuals. For the clarification of material circumstances significant to the criminal case, forensic chemical and medical examinations were ordered, hair samples from the accused were collected, and toxicological examinations were commissioned.

Based on the sufficient combination of evidence obtained during the criminal case, the Yerevan resident has been charged under Article 266, Part 3, Clause 2, and Article 267.1, Part 4, Clause 1 of the RA Criminal Code. Two of the four individuals have been charged with the illegal acquisition and possession of drugs without intent to distribute under Article 268, Part 2, Clause 2 of the RA Criminal Code, while the other two charged with the illegal acquisition and possession of drugs with intent to distribute are under Article 266, Part 2, Clause 2.

The investigator has filed a motion in court to select detention as a preventive measure against all five defendants, which has been granted. The pre-trial investigation continues, and necessary measures are being undertaken to clarify the entire trafficking chain of narcotics, the source of acquisition, the identity of the individual distributing the goods, possible accomplices, as well as other circumstances significant to the examination.