VIDEO: Attempt to Smuggle Large Quantities of Drugs and Weapons into Armenia Thwarted

The National Security Service of Armenia, in collaboration with the Syunik regional department and the border unit of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation in Armenia, has uncovered and prevented an attempt to smuggle large quantities of narcotic substances, as well as weapons and ammunition, from the Islamic Republic of Iran into the territory of Armenia.

As part of the operational and investigative measures, it was revealed that a citizen of Armenia, R.P., along with an unidentified Iranian national, planned to bring a large batch of various narcotic substances into Armenia illegally on May 18 of this year, intending to sell them.

On the specified date, R.P. was met by the unidentified individual near the state border of Armenia and Iran in the vicinity of Meghri, where he collected the aforementioned drugs, weapons, and ammunition. However, due to precautions taken to avoid detection, he hid the items near the border zone with Iran and then left the area.

Subsequently, on May 19, R.P. involved two other citizens of Armenia, M.P. and A.K., residents of the Kajaran community in Syunik, directing them to take a vehicle of the make 'Toyota' owned by A.K. to the border zone to retrieve the drugs and weapons from the hiding place he had described.

The criminal group's activities were disrupted when their vehicle was stopped by officers of the National Security Service of Armenia and the border unit of the Federal Security Service near Meghri.

With reasonable suspicion of having committed a crime, R.P., A.K., and M.P. were arrested. The vehicle was taken to a special secure area of the Syunik regional department of the NSSA, where investigative actions revealed 20 different packages filled with narcotic substances, weighing over 10 kilograms combined, including heroin, methamphetamine, and marijuana, as well as two foreign-manufactured combat pistols along with 20 cartridges.

A criminal case has been initiated at the Syunik regional investigative department of the Investigative Committee of Armenia under Article 393, part 3, and Article 399, part 3, clause 2 of the Criminal Code of Armenia. The investigation is ongoing.