The National Security Service of RA, considering the illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs as one of the expressions of transnational crime, strictly observing international law and domestic legislation, carrying out consistent fight against the mentioned perverse phenomenon that threatens the national security, as a result of urgent operational and  search measures and investigative activities conducted within the functions vested upon it by the law jointly with the employees of the State Revenue Committee of RA, detected and prevented a case of function of  another sustainable channel for illegal import of narcotic drugs.

According to the received factual information, two citizens of the Republic of Armenia residing in Yerevan and one citizen of Uruguay, having conspired with an Armenian accomplice residing in the US, with a purpose to transport narcotic drugs  to Armenia and to sell them − hiding the drugs concealed with play dough in stationary and children's stuff from the US customs and sending in postal deliveries in the names of different Armenian citizens without their knowledge − created stable criminal group and during a long period through postal service smuggled to Armenia cocaine, methamphetamine and hashish oil in particularly large quantities.

The last batch of the aforementioned drugs was sent in 5 parcels that were received in an office of a postal service in Armenia on 26 December 2019, on  8 January and 10 January  of 2020, and then, on 14 January 2020, the members of the criminal group, under the operational control of the NSS officers, received one of the mentioned parcels and transported it to a garage used as their assembly place, after which three members of the criminal group were brought in and detained by the officers of the National Security Service.

Irrefutable evidence on criminal group’s activities was obtained as a result of operational and search measures and investigative activities undertaken within the framework of the criminal case initiated in the Investigation Department of the NSS of RA on the fact of an apparent crime, according to the corresponding articles of the Criminal Code of RA. In particular, factual information was received indicating that the latters had illegally imported drugs to Armenia before, had made arrangements with buyers through the internet and after receiving money had left the drugs in initially marked concealments and sold them.

Within the framework of the case charges have been brought against three persons; detention has been chosen as a measure of restraint against them by court decision. Preliminary investigation is being conducted; measures are being taken to detect other persons involved in the criminal scheme and to find out the recipients of the financial flows raised from drug trafficking.

Note: The suspect or accused of an alleged crime is considered innocent as long as his/her guilt is not proven in a manner prescribed by the Code of Criminal Procedure of the RA-by the court decision entered into legal force.