Armenia: Armed Clash Prevented in Aresh Neighborhood, 8 Arrested

On March 3, law enforcement officers from the Criminal Police of the Republic of Armenia conducted a special operation in the capital city, which allowed them to prevent a particularly serious crime.

According to shamshyan.com, operational information was received by the Criminal Police indicating that a group of young people had gathered at 8/1 Erebuni Street in Yerevan and were engaged in a "razborka" (a term for a violent dispute), potentially armed.

Eight individuals were taken into custody on suspicion of illegally possessing weapons and drugs at an auto repair facility located at the specified address.

According to reports, one of the suspects, upon seeing the police, drew a pistol from his waistband and tossed it into a visible area of the room.

Those arrested include residents of Yerevan: 27-year-old Ishkhan Tovmasyan, 33-year-old Davit Sahakyan, 25-year-old Petros Minasyan, and 30-year-old Arthur Afrikyans, along with 30-year-old Ruben Hakobyan from Kotayk Province, and 34-year-old Vardges Berakhchyan from the village of Jrvazh. The individual who discarded the pistol has been identified as 35-year-old Artak Khachatryan, also from Kotayk Province.

During a personal search, a burnt syringe, a burnt glass tube, and a folding knife were discovered on Ishkhan Tovmasyan. Arthur Afrikyans was found to possess a burnt syringe and a burnt glass tube as well. The latter claimed that the discovered items belonged to them.