Criminal Prosecution Initiated Against 18 Individuals for Illegal Arms Trafficking from Artsakh During War: NSS

From the very first moments of the military operations unleashed against the Republic of Artsakh, the National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia has been actively working to combat various cases of illegal acquisition, sale, storage, transportation, or possession of firearms, ammunition, explosives, or explosive devices from the Republic of Artsakh to the territory of the Republic of Armenia. This was announced in a statement by the NSS of Armenia.

The statement noted: "Thus, from September 27 to December 24, 2020, the National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia initiated and investigated over ten criminal cases pertaining to the illegal acquisition, sale, transfer, or possession of weapons, military supplies, explosive materials, or explosive devices related to the military actions that took place during the war. In this context, a total of four machine guns, anti-tank grenade launchers equipped with optical devices, twelve assault rifles including AK-74, AKM, AK-SU, and other types, fourteen firearms with high accuracy equipped with optical sights, nine boxes of 5.45 mm caliber ammunition containing a total of 25,600 rounds, five boxes of 7.62 mm caliber ammunition, as well as 2,168 rounds of 7.62, 9.18, and 5.45 mm cartridges, were discovered and confiscated.

Additionally, twenty-seven fuses with significant destructive capabilities, four grenade fuzes, thirteen mechanical fuzes, gunpowder fuses, fourteen grenades of various types such as RGD and F-1, anti-tank grenade tubes, dynamite cubes, electric detonation devices, safety fuses for TNT, as well as other prohibited items related to the circulation of weapons were also recovered.

Criminal prosecutions have been initiated against a total of 18 individuals in these cases, with 16 having been arrested based on direct suspicion of committing the crimes, out of which preventive measures have been imposed on 9 individuals.

As a result of urgent investigative and procedural actions conducted during the preliminary investigation, and operational intelligence measures, it has been established that the weapons and military supplies were acquired from various defense sectors of Artsakh and were intended for use in military operations.

Individuals charged in these criminal cases have mainly attempted to illegally transport the weapons and ammunition by concealing them in vehicles leaving Artsakh, often with the preliminary agreement of several persons within a group.

The NSS of Armenia continues to carry out active operational and investigative measures to uncover further weapons and ammunition illegally transferred from the battlefield into the territory of the Republic of Armenia and to initiate criminal prosecutions against the guilty parties.

Simultaneously, the NSS of Armenia urges those who participated in the combat and who have illegally transported or kept weapons, ammunition, explosives, or devices in the territory of the Republic of Armenia during or after the period of hostilities or the establishment of a ceasefire, to voluntarily surrender these items to law enforcement agencies. Such actions will serve as a basis for exempting individuals from criminal liability in accordance with the law.