As a result of complex operative-search measures and procedural actions carried out by officers of the Ararat Regional Directorate of the RA National Security Service and the Main Directorate of Investigation of the RA National Security Service, another case of organizing illegal migration was detected.

In particular, as a result of evidentiary and other procedural actions carried out during the preliminary investigation, it was established that A. M. and A. H. as part of a group by prior conspiracy, with common intent, for mercenary motives, complementing each other’s actions, with the assistance of A.P., during August-September 2023, organized the illegal migration of a number of citizens of the RA , namely, in order to obtain permission to enter and stay  in the Schengen countries, they demanded and received from each of them 5.200 USD. Then, in the packages to be submitted in order to obtain proper permission to enter and stay in the Schengen countries, they included counterfeit certificates and certificates of banking transactions, place of work, profit margins, completion of manicure courses, which are documents certifying legally significant facts and granting rights, issued by an individual entrepreneur, which were handed over to the above-mentioned persons, who, in order to obtain the proper entry permit and stay in the specified countries, presented them to the competent authority operating on the territory of the Republic of Armenia, on the basis of which they were issued the appropriate visas, thus, the criminal group organized the illegal migration of a number of persons by submitting forged documents.

During the preliminary investigation, searches were carried out at the residence addresses of members of the criminal group involved in organizing illegal migration, and at places of work in a travel agency, as a result of which amounts paid for organizing illegal migration, stamps, forms, certificates of right of ownership, certificates were discovered about banking transactions and the place of work, as well as numerous documents regarding various persons and other things and objects intended for the commission of a crime.

Based on the factual data received, at the request of the investigator, under the relevant articles of the RA Criminal Code decisions were made by the supervising prosecutor to initiate public criminal prosecution against three members of the criminal group, detention was applied against two of them as a measure of restraint, and in relation to one - a travel ban.

The preliminary investigation in the criminal proceedings continues, the necessary procedural actions and operative-search measures are being carried out to clarify the full range of persons involved in the criminal group and apply criminal legal measures against them, as well as to detect other cases of organizing illegal migration.

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.