Charges Filed Against 5 Additional Individuals in 365 kg Heroin Case

The identities of the members of a criminal group engaged in the illegal circulation of 365 kg of narcotics have been clarified, and charges have been filed against 5 more individuals. The Investigative Committee of Armenia has made this announcement.

The investigation into the illicit trafficking of narcotics, classified as particularly large-scale, is ongoing in the main investigative department for especially important cases of the RA Investigative Committee. It was previously reported that a 46-year-old resident of Yerevan acquired a total of 4964 grams of 'Opium,' 4982 grams of 'Heroin,' and 3965 grams of 'Methamphetamine' in the Syunik province on October 17, 2020, for the illegal purpose of transporting it to Yerevan. He had placed these narcotics in the cabin of his 'KIA' model vehicle, but the batch was discovered during a search by the officers of the Kapan division of the RA Police.

The investigation into this portion of the case has ended, and the criminal case has been sent to court with a charge conclusion.

As a result of extensive investigative actions and operational intelligence measures conducted separately from the aforementioned criminal case, further criminal actions have been revealed, and the identities of 5 additional individuals involved in the criminal chain have been established, as well as the mechanisms of drug acquisition and distribution, and the hideouts.

It has been obtained during the investigation that, beyond this drug batch, particularly large quantities of narcotics were also distributed through other individuals. Specifically, it has been determined that a resident born in 1987 using a 'Ford' model vehicle from the Kotayk province was supposed to transport narcotics across Armenia.

As a result of urgent measures taken, that vehicle was located, and during the search, a particularly large quantity of narcotics was seized: 2878 grams of 'Opium,' 995 grams of 'Methamphetamine,' 751.27 grams of 'Heroin,' and 2888 grams of 'Opium' type narcotics.

Additionally, information was received about the transportation of narcotics from the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Republic of Armenia. As a result of the necessary measures taken, a search in the vehicle coming from the Islamic Republic of Iran uncovered and seized a particularly large quantity of 112.5 grams of 'Acetylated Opium' type narcotic.

During the preliminary investigation, it was also learned that narcotics were located in a hideout in the village of Shvanidzor, Syunik province, which was meant to be transported through the territory of Armenia to the Republic of Georgia. A series of investigative actions were carried out, as well as joint operational intelligence measures conducted with the personnel of the Criminal Police Main Directorate of the RA Police, during which approximately 4290 grams of a substance resembling 'Heroin' and 2100 grams of a substance resembling 'Opium' were discovered. According to the investigation data, these narcotics were supposed to be placed at various sections of the Yerevan-Artashat highway. The identities of the individuals who were to retrieve these narcotics from the hideouts have also been identified.

Based on the combination of sufficient evidence, charges have been filed against five individuals for the illegal circulation of particularly large quantities of narcotics. The investigation is ongoing.