8 Individuals charged with illegal drug trafficking and money laundering
According to the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia (RA), a person detained in a penitentiary institution created and led a criminal organization, involving numerous individuals and clearly defining the role of each.
The report states that the detained person created and managed user accounts and store-platforms with various names on the “Telegram” messaging application. Through these platforms, narcotic drugs, namely “Methamphetamine” and “Marijuana,” were illegally sold by various individuals on an especially large scale during the period from July 2024 to July 2025. Furthermore, with the aim of concealing the criminal origin of financial means—at least 24 million 16 thousand 284 RA drams—received from the illegal sale of drugs on an especially large scale, the detained person initiated the provision of electronic wallets, bank card, and account details to individuals who expressed a desire to acquire drugs, as well as to members of the criminal organization. Members of the criminal organization, having received their due shares from the specified amounts, transferred the remaining money to the bank cards indicated by the person accused of the crime through cashing, transfers, and conversions.
The preliminary investigation revealed that members of the criminal organization regularly acquired various types of narcotic drugs on an especially large scale, which were subsequently sold by other individuals.
During the preliminary investigation, public criminal prosecution was initiated against the defendants with relevant charges under the Criminal Code, specifically: for one person, the creation or leadership of a criminal organization, money laundering, and the illegal circulation of narcotic drugs, psychotropic (psychoactive) substances, their preparations, or their equivalents (analogues) or derivatives thereof for the purpose of sale or the illegal sale thereof; for one person, participation in a criminal organization, the preparation, storage, transportation, dispatch, acquisition, or sale of counterfeit currency, foreign currency, securities, other payment and settlement documents, or payment instruments for the purpose of sale, and money laundering, and the illegal circulation of narcotic drugs, psychotropic (psychoactive) substances, their preparations, or their equivalents (analogues) or derivatives thereof for the purpose of sale or the illegal sale thereof; for two persons, participation in a criminal organization, money laundering, and the illegal circulation of narcotic drugs, psychotropic (psychoactive) substances, their preparations, or their equivalents (analogues) or derivatives thereof for the purpose of sale or the illegal sale thereof; for one person, participation in a criminal organization, the preparation, storage, transportation, dispatch, acquisition, or sale of counterfeit currency, foreign currency, securities, other payment and settlement documents, or payment instruments for the purpose of sale, and the illegal circulation of narcotic drugs, psychotropic (psychoactive) substances, their preparations, or their equivalents (analogues) or derivatives thereof for the purpose of sale or the illegal sale thereof; and for three persons, participation in a criminal organization and the illegal circulation of narcotic drugs, psychotropic (psychoactive) substances, their preparations, or their equivalents (analogues) or derivatives thereof for the purpose of sale or the illegal sale thereof.
Detention was applied as a pre-trial measure for three individuals, house arrest for three individuals, and administrative supervision for one individual.
The criminal proceedings concerning all eight individuals have been sent to the supervising prosecutor with a bill of indictment.
Notice: A person accused of a crime is presumed innocent until their guilt is proven in the manner prescribed by the Criminal Procedure Code, by a legally binding court verdict.