As a result of the implementation of operative data obtained in the Counterintelligence Department and Shirak Regional Department of the RA National Security Service and as a result of large-scale operative-search measures and procedural actions jointly carried out by the officers of the Investigation Department of the NSS and the above-mentioned operational units, it was established that A.P., carrying out tourism activities in the cities of Yerevan and Armavir, during September-November 2022, for mercenary motives, having the intent to organize the illegal migration of two or more persons - their entry into a foreign state and stay in a foreign state - entered in a preliminary agreement with K. M., who was engaged in the same activity, after which, according to the agreement, with the members of the group, complementing each other's actions, performing the distribution of roles, in order to organize the illegal migration of 6 RA citizens, as well as a number of other citizens, in exchange for paying 3.000-3.500 USD by the latter who wish to leave the RA, in order to obtain a proper permit to enter the countries of the Schengen Agreement, on behalf of the mentioned persons, along with other documents, submitted fake documents to the competent authorities of the RA of legal significance certifying facts and granting rights, such as of owning real estate and having a job, marital status, wages, other income, as well as certificates containing expressly other false information in content, thus providing fake documents to obtain proper entry permits to foreign states, by prior agreement as part of a group, organized the illegal migration of a number of persons.

In addition, A.P., by prior agreement with other persons in the same period of time and by the same mechanism, in exchange for receiving 4.500 USD, organized the illegal migration of 31 citizens of the RA and other persons.

During the preliminary investigation, within the framework of criminal proceedings, during searches carried out in the apartments and cars of members of the criminal group engaged in organizing illegal migration, as well as in the offices of travel agencies, forged documents were found and seized, documents containing records of the amounts paid by a number of citizens who had received permission for illegal entry into foreign states, passports and copies of passports of citizens who left the RA as a result of illegal migration, especially large sums of money and other documents and items that are important for criminal proceedings.

Based on factual data obtained during the preliminary investigation, decisions were made by the supervising prosecutor to initiate public criminal prosecution against two members of the criminal group for organizing illegal migration under the relevant article of the RA Criminal Code. The latter were detained in order to be brought to court. Based on an immediate suspicion of committing a crime, one person was detained. Arrest was applied as a measure of restraint against one of the members of the group. Confinement was applied as a measure of restraint against one of the group members.

The preliminary investigation of the criminal proceedings continues, the necessary investigative actions and operative-search measures are being taken to clarify all the circumstances of the case, as well as the full range of persons involved in criminal groups, and to apply criminal legal measures of influence against them.

The RA National Security Service calls on the RA citizens, when leaving the Republic of Armenia to a foreign state and returning, to refrain from being involved in the processes of illegal migration, to exclude the use of fake documents and the provision of large sums of money to persons organizing these processes illegally.

Note: Anyone charged with a 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.