Arturs’ mystery ‘abduction’ in Dubai
By Standard Team

Standard, Kenya
Oct 7 2006

The gold-bedecked so-called Armenian brothers – Artur Margaryan and
Artur Sargasyan – have mysteriously gone missing from their Dubai base.

And their disappearance is keeping various transcontinental
intelligence agencies guessing.

Interpol confirmed they are for the moment unaware of the whereabouts
of the two, a fact that seems to introduce the latest mystery to the
operations of the Armenians who strode Kenyan streets with confidence,
flashing police identifications and all-access passes to airports.

And as the mystery deepened, their Kenyan "friends" also appeared
to be in frenzy. One of them is a suspended civil servant who flew
out to Dubai via a European route only to give up the bid to see the
Arturs after five days. She could not trace them.

Sources within the Arabian intelligence networks say various theories
have been advanced for the absence of the Arturs, the most sensational
being that a Euro-Russian criminal ring, with which they fell out in
an unexplained operation, may have abducted them.

There are also those who think the Arturs, who the government deported
to Dubai after a gun-drama at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport,
could actually be in a neighbouring state and running their overt
business in Kenya through "remote control".

The proponents of the abduction theory, about which some of Kenya’s
security managers have been discreetly tipped, say "irreconcilable
disagreements" illicit trade, or even money laundering precipitated
the bitter fall-out.

"They have not been seen for over a month, Sargasyan, a family man
managed to speak to his wife just the other day. Details of their
conversation are scanty but it is very much unlike him to leave his
wife Alice and children in financial straits," revealed our sources.

The sources added: "The report we are getting is that they were
abducted from their residence. Alice has been in panic."

Because of the sensitive nature of the covert underworld-like tactics
in the disappearance, sources declined to be quoted on this matter.
They however made it clear it was authentic and Kenya was monitoring
keenly the goings-on in the United Arab Emirates.

Our sources believe the brothers could have a connection with Russian
gangs, who are also a part of or are related to the operations of
the dreaded Armenian mafia.

The Russian Mafia or the "Red Mafia" are mostly active in fraud,
transnational money laundering, drug-trafficking, weapon smuggling,
auto theft, prostitution, hostage taking, transportation of stolen
property for export, counterfeiting credit card, forgery, murder,
among other crimes.

The recovery of guns and balaclavas in the Arturs’ residence at Runda,
together with the string of fake number plates, police letters showing
they were reservists, and even fake passports, smack of illegal deals
on the part of the Armenians.

Reached for comment, the regional Interpol chief, Mr Awad Dahia, said
his unit had not received any communiquÈ from the Dubai authorities
regarding the whereabouts of the Armenians.

He said they had not heard about the two brothers, branded
international criminals since they were deported from Kenya in June.
"I have checked with our headquarters Lyons, France, and they seem
to be in the dark over the same, but if there is such a thing I will
be happy to let you know," he added.

Dahia said Interpol is always on the alert as regards the activities
of the two "brothers" after it was established that their activities
in Kenya were criminal.

Deputy Criminal Investigations director Mr Peter Kavila too said they
had not received such a communication from their Dubai counterparts.

Kavila said Kenya as a member of Interpol relies on the agency on
such security matters.

"As usual we are alert but no such information has reached our office
so far," he said. Commissioner of police Maj Gen Hussein Ali who also
said he was unaware of the development referred us to the Interpol
sub-regional offices for more.

The sub-regional offices in Nairobi serve as the headquarters of
Interpol in Eastern Africa countries.

Other sources in Dubai claim that when the two brothers arrived in
Dubai after they were deported from Kenya they did not stay long
but chose to move to a neighbouring country where they continue with
their shady business deals in Kenya.

A source said that the two Armenians have registered a company in
Dubai with Kenyan connections and business dealings in Kenya, the
neighbouring country and other countries in Africa.

"We have heard about some abduction here but it involves spies and
the personalities involved are of Israeli and Iranian origin," the
sources added. .

"We are not sure who the Artur brothers are connected to but these
people all belonged to the former USSR before it collapsed," a source
told The Saturday Standard.

Most Russian and Armenian mafia have a military background and are
allegedly implicated in gunrunning and drug trafficking.

The two Armenian brothers had arrived in Kenya on different dates in
late 2005.

Intelligence sources had warned the government about the Arturs’
activities in March 2006, with an intelligence officer describing
them as "dangerous individuals ready to kill for the sake of money".

The sources also warned that the two are international criminals who
had excelled in organised criminal activities.

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