Gyumri Mental Health Center's Narcologist Sold Controlled Substances, Prosecutor's Office Reports

The preliminary investigation into the illegal procurement and sale of controlled substances at the Gyumri Mental Health Center LLC, as well as related corruption abuses, has concluded. This was reported by the Prosecutor's Office.

Evidence acquired during the investigation substantiates that A.S., a narcologist at the Gyumri Mental Health Center LLC, in collusion with a nurse from the center's narcological department, violated regulations. Between April and September 2021, they falsified documents to illegally withdraw and procure controlled substances such as diazepam, sipazone, galopril, azaleptin, tizerzin, and amparol from the center's inventory for sale to various citizens who had coordinated with them.

Additionally, it was revealed that the same narcologist, in agreement with two nurses from the narcological and psychiatric departments, received substantial bribes from several citizens from April to July 2021. Specifically, he demanded and received bribes ranging from 5,000 to 30,000 AMD from patients or their relatives in exchange for treatment against alcohol dependency, excluding formal records and necessary medical evaluations for discharge from the narcological department, and for the purpose of restoring driver's licenses.

Searches were conducted at the residences of citizens and the specified employees of the treatment center, during which controlled prescription medications were discovered. A.S. has been charged under Article 266, Part 2, Clause 1, Article 311, Part 3, Clause 2 (five incidents), and Article 311, Part 1 (four incidents) of the RA Criminal Code. The nurse J.S. from the same center has been charged under Article 266, Part 2, Clause 1 and Article 311, Part 3, Clause 2 (five incidents).

They have been detained as a preventive measure. Nine citizens who provided bribes for these blatantly illegal actions have been charged under Article 312, Part 1 of the RA Criminal Code. Subsequently, decisions were made to terminate criminal proceedings against four of them due to lack of justifiable grounds and one for lack of crime.

The prosecution office in Shirak region has received the accusatory conclusion in the case, which has been confirmed by the prosecutor overseeing the legal proceedings. The criminal case has been sent to the Shirak region's first instance general jurisdiction court for substantive consideration.

Notice: The suspect or accused in alleged crimes is presumed innocent until proven guilty according to the established procedure of the Criminal Procedure Code of RA by a court’s legally enforced verdict.