As a result of large-scale operative-search measures and planned investigative actions carried out by the Yerevan City Department of the RA National Security Service and the Investigation Department of the RA NSS, it was established that a group of persons, for mercenary reasons, with an intent of organizing illegal migration of two or more persons, by prior agreement with the leading personnel of a travel agency operating in Yerevan, distributing the roles among themselves, organized the illegal departure of a number of RA citizens to foreign states and the countries of the Schengen Agreement at the rate of 20.000 to 26.000 USD per person, for this purpose, in the names of the departing persons, having prepared forged documents on employment, the amount of wages, other income, movable and immovable property, which were submitted to the competent authorities in the RA and foreign countries.

During the preliminary investigation as part of the criminal proceeding, as a result of searches in the apartments, cars of members of the criminal group engaged in organizing illegal migration, as well as in a travel agency, numerous fake seals, stamps, documents, blank document samples, notebooks containing notes on especially large amounts paid by several dozen citizens who received permission for illegal entry into foreign countries, electronic media.

It is noteworthy that the members of the criminal group, in order to bring their criminal intention to the end, did not even hesitate to present not only such false information that significantly undermines the reputation of the state and the international rating, such as the political persecution of certain groups of persons in the RA, due to political views, repressions from by the authorities and other fake similar far-fetched circumstances.

In particular, according to the factual data available in the proceedings, it was confirmed that the members of the group provided a number of persons with pre-processed texts stating that, after 2018, the current government allegedly began political repressions against members of the Republican Party and their supporters in the RA, as a result of which they could not stand the persecution and pursuit and were forced to leave their homeland, in connection with which they were instructed and urged citizens not to repeat the exact content of the text. Moreover, the members of the group, in pre-processed texts, placed special emphasis on the fact that the lives and freedom of the mentioned persons were in danger due to their political views, they lost their business and other fictitious false information, asking the foreign government to grant them political asylum.

Based on factual data acquired during the preliminary investigation, a decision was made by the supervising prosecutor to initiate public criminal prosecution on the grounds of the relevant articles of the RA Criminal Code against 6 members of the criminal group for organizing illegal migration, as well as for the production and use of fake documents, seals, against 4 of them a measure of restraint in the form of arrest was chosen, against one person a bail was applied, and against another person search was announced.

The preliminary investigation of the criminal proceedings continues; necessary investigative actions and operative-search measures are being taken to identify all the circumstances of the case and the full scope of the persons involved in the criminal scheme and to apply criminal legal measures of influence against them.

The National Security Service warns that, within the framework of the powers vested upon it, henceforth also will take appropriate measures in the direction of detecting criminal groups organizing illegal migration RA citizens to foreign states and bring the perpetrators to criminal liability, at the same time it informs that the RA Criminal Code provides for this criminal act punishment in the form of imprisonment for a term of four to eight years.

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.