The National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia, continuing within the framework of its functions to carry out an effective fight in the direction of detecting cases of illegal acquisition, sale, storage, transportation from the Republic of Artsakh to the territory of the Republic of Armenia or carrying firearms, cartridges, ammunition, explosives or explosive devices, as well as preclusion and prevention of possible crimes with the use as a weapon of the specified items prohibited for circulating, detected a criminal group that had illegally obtained weapons from the battlefield and stored for the purpose of sale.

Thus:

A resident of Yerevan city S.B., since 27 September, 2020 participating as a volunteer in the hostilities started against the Republic of Artsakh, by prior agreement with a number of persons, illegally obtained firearms - rifles for the purpose of sale which he transported from the Republic of Artsakh and kept in his apartment in Yerevan after which on 3 November, 2020, he reached agreements with various persons to sell each riffle for 500-600 USD.

In this connection, in the Investigation Department of the NSS of RA, as a result of large-scale investigative and other procedural actions taken during the preliminary investigation on the criminal case initiated on the grounds of Article 235 of RA Criminal Code, in particular, during the search conducted in the apartment of S.B. “Kalashnikov” rifles, cartridges that are ammunition and other items prohibited for circulation, were found and confiscated.

As a result of various investigative and procedural actions taken in the direction of establishing the identity of the person who sold firearms to S. B. involved as an accused in the criminal case, from the concealments in the village of Tekh, Syunik province a large number of cartridges, that are ammunition, rifles, that are firearms, and numerous other things and items prohibited for circulation were found illegally acquired from the battlefield and stored for the purpose of sale.

In particular, as a result of the searches, a total of 43 “Kalashnikov” rifles, 279 cartridges of 7.62 mm caliber, 7 cartridge cases loaded with 7.62 mm cartridges, 23 cartridge cases loaded with cartridges of 5.45mm, bayonet-knives, soldier's pouches, holsters for pistols, 1 cartridge case loaded with 8 cartridges of 9 mm caliber, about 32 small cartridges in closed boxes, telescopic sights for firearms, hunting rifles, 227 cartridges of 7.62 mm caliber, 1,033 cartridges of 5.45 mm caliber, 1 grenade, hunting rifle barrels, etc.

The National Security Service of RA continues to take active operative-search measures to find other possible weapons and ammunition illegally transported from the battlefield to the territory of the Republic of Armenia in order to initiate criminal prosecutions against all persons involved.

At the same time, the National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia urges the participants in the battles to voluntarily surrender to law enforcement bodies the weapons, ammunition, explosives or explosive devices that they have illegally transported to the territory of the Republic of Armenia and stored during the military operations or after the establishment of the ceasefire: such actions will serve as the basis for the release of the person from criminal liability in the manner prescribed by law.

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