Drug Cultivation Laboratories, $3.9 Million in Drug Trafficking: New Details

The criminal investigation department of the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia has concluded the preliminary investigation into the latest case of illegal drug trafficking involving particularly large quantities of narcotics.

As a result of extensive investigative and procedural actions, the identities of five members of the criminal group and the mechanisms of illegal drug trafficking were clarified. Specifically, the investigation revealed that greenhouses for the cultivation of 'Marijuana' types of narcotics were established at the residences of the group members with the intent to engage in the illegal trafficking of narcotics through the 'Telegram' application.

From 2021 to 2023, various illegal productions of 'Marijuana' were organized, differing in name and quality characteristics. For the purpose of wholesale and retail sale of the illegally produced and stored narcotics, the group members created and managed shop platforms on the 'Telegram' messaging application, ensuring the segregation of particularly large quantities of narcotics by weight, packaging, and prior placement in hideouts.

Subsequently, the locations of the narcotics were photographed, and their geographical coordinates were marked through a software application. The photographs of the narcotic quantities designated for wholesale were provided to accomplices via the shop-platform on different 'Telegram' pages engaged in illegal narcotic trafficking, while information about the locations of smaller quantities of narcotics was given to individuals who expressed an interest in acquiring them and transferred amounts of money to cryptowallets managed by the group members.

During the investigation, the identity of the person managing a 'Telegram' page dedicated to illegal drug trafficking was also established. This individual established contact with group members via messaging, and in February-March 2023, acquired several batches of illegally produced narcotics for sale.

For revealing the whereabouts of several hundred grams of 'Marijuana', the individual was instructed to make various cryptocurrency transfers to 'Dashcoin' and 'TRX' cryptowallets associated with an account created in the 'Finance' system, and only after receiving funds designated for drug acquisition were they provided with information on the locations of particularly large narcotic stashes.

Additionally, individuals who expressed a desire to acquire drugs were provided with periodically changing 'Dashcoin' wallet addresses for transferring money, which after being transferred to several similar wallets, ultimately reached the 'Dashcoin' cryptowallet created in the 'Finance' system in the name of one of the group members.

Furthermore, funds were also received in the 'Dashcoin' wallets from users of 'Telegram' shop platforms who intended to purchase narcotics.

A portion of the illegally produced and stored narcotic batch—totaling 266.15 grams and 16.55 grams of dry weight 'Marijuana', and 40 grams of 'Cannabis' containing tetrahydrocannabinol, along with 6 plants of narcotic-containing 'Cannabis', and equipped hideouts designed for drug cultivation, laboratory rooms, and various objects used for illegal drug production—were found during searches conducted at the residences of the group members.

During the searches, law enforcement discovered both large quantities of narcotics and specifically equipped and concealed laboratory rooms for the cultivation of 'Marijuana' as well as large sums of money totaling $330,264, €3,210, and 2,772,000 AMD, which were recognized as material evidence and seized.

The investigation established that through various cryptocurrency accounts, the volume of financial resources circulated from the illegal sale of narcotics by the group members amounted to approximately AMD 1 billion 734 million, equivalent to $3.9 million.

Based on sufficient evidence obtained, charges have been brought against five individuals under Article 393, Part 3, Clause 2 and Article 296, Part 3, Clause 3 of the RA Criminal Code. Their cases have been separated, and the materials of the proceedings have been sent to court with an accusatory conclusion.