The National Security Service of RA, being faithful to the principle of eliminating various manifestations of corruption, within the functions, vested upon it by the law, aimed at countering corruption, as a result of operational and search measures and investigative activities undertaken within the framework of the criminal case - initiated back in February 2019 and  being investigated in the Investigation Department of the NSS of RA in connection with the abuses of official powers by a number of high-ranking officials of the RA State Revenue Committee - detected a case of infliction of particularly large damage to the state by officials.

Factual information was received, according to which, during 2014-2016, high-ranking executive official who held the position of the Deputy Finance Minister of RA and was implementing the functions of the representative of authority, according to the prior agreement with his superior, former Finance Minister of RA, during the mentioned period, used his official position against the service interests and, proceeding from a group interest – that was to represent the works in the field of international cooperation in the best possible light, to create an illusion of the development of customs administration, as well as an illusion of re-equipment of customs bodies with modern technological equipment – and ignoring the real needs of the customs bodies and credible data and calculations regarding these needs, which were represented by the competent officials under their supervision, they obtained, within the framework of a preferential term loan concluded by the RA Government,  8500 electronic locks – worth especially large amount of money, AMD 2.282.387.249 - that were not necessary for the RA Customs Service.

But a maximum of 2000 electronic locks were required for the needs of the RA customs system, and, in fact, only 251 were used by October of 2019.

Consequently, as a result of the actions of the mentioned two high-ranking officials, former Finance Minister of RA and his deputy, not only the normal functioning of the state body was disrupted, but also the loan, in especially large amount, provided to the RA Government was used inappropriately, and a material damage - AMD 1.747.195.905 - was caused to the state, resulting in heavy consequences.

Due to the body of interrelated, credible sufficient evidence obtained in the case, a decision was made to involve the official, former deputy Finance Minister of RA, as a defendant under the corresponding article of the Criminal Code of RA.

Due to the fact that he left the territory of the Republic of Armenia back in June of 2018, he has been declared internationally wanted, and arrest has been chosen by the court as a measure of restraint against him.

Preliminary investigation goes on, measures are being taken to find the wanted person, to bring him before the body conducting the proceeding and find out his connection to the other events of crime.

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 RA - by the court decision entered into legal force.