Murder Prevented: Criminal Kingpin 'Kabel' Targeted; Weapons Cache Discovered

On April 16, the Criminal Investigation Department of the Yerevan police, in collaboration with officers from the Malatia police station, thwarted a heavily armed 'criminal showdown' in the capital that was to turn into a vendetta.

According to shamshyan.com, the police found that Andranik Nersisyans and his associates were convinced that supporters of Arthur Barselyan, known as 'Kabel' in the criminal world, had fired shots on March 7 with a gun, and they prepared to kill him.

The website reports that the Criminal Investigation Department received operational information that Nersisyans had instructed members of his organized group to acquire various types of weapons, including grenades, assault rifles, sniper rifles, handguns, and body armor. After agreeing with his associates to bring an armored car to Armenia, they planned to carry out their criminal intentions by killing Barselyan.

Following these events, a criminal case was initiated on February 12 by the Investigative Committee of Armenia under the charges defined in the Criminal Code of Armenia, specifically Articles 35-104, 223, 23.1, and 266, leading to multiple searches.

According to the site, the investigative actions were led by Mher Vardanyan, head of the Yerevan Investigative Department, and senior investigators specializing in particularly serious cases, under the orders of the Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Armenia, Arghishti Kyaramyan.

On April 15, a search was conducted at the residence of 26-year-old A. Nersisyans in the Malatia-Sebastia administrative district, where items similar to suppressors, a 'Sig Sauer' pistol with a magazine and 7 bullets, a 'Beretta' type pistol also with a magazine and 7 bullets, various calibers of ammunition, a folding knife, a gun-like object labeled 'Akula', two metallic rods, spear-like objects, keys, and items adapted for lock-picking were discovered, along with two transparent containers containing a narcotic-like substance.

On the same day, a search was carried out at the New Nork Police Station, where a 31-year-old man was detained on suspicion of using and possessing illegal weapons, ammunition, and drugs. During the personal search, a black magazine containing 9 rounds of 'TOZ' type 5.6mm ammunition was discovered.

The police and investigators conducted a search at the residence of 40-year-old Arkadi Ghazaryan, where they found a grenade without a detonator, a detonator for a grenade, and other items associated with explosives.

Further searches were conducted at the residences of other individuals linked to the case, leading to the seizure of numerous rounds of ammunition and weapons.

According to G. Shamshyan, a total of six individuals, including the Nersisyans, Ghazaryan, Avetisyan, and others, have been arrested in connection with this case. A series of forensics examinations have been ordered, and the preliminary investigation is ongoing.