ARMINFO News Agency, Armenia
July 14, 2017 Friday
The National Security Service of Armenia completed the preliminary
investigation into the case of the ex- commander of the NKR Defense
Army
Yerevan July 14
Alexander Avanesov. In the Investigation Department of the National
Security Service of the Republic of Armenia, a preliminary
investigation was completed with respect to 7 defendants in the
criminal case under investigation on the facts of money laundering, as
well as illegal acquisition, storage and transportation of ammunition.
This was reported by the press center of the National Security Service
of Armenia.
According to the source, the investigation found that in July 2016
citizen Samvel Babayan reliably learned that people living in the
Russian Federation have a large batch of money withdrawn from cash
circulation and euro banknotes filled with special paint. He
undertookMeasures for their acquisition, distortion through chemical
cleaning and processing of their criminal origin and further
introduction into circulation in the territory of Armenia. In these
operations Babayan was assisted by a resident of Yerevan Karen
Kocharyan, Andranik Kocharyan, a resident of the village of Buzhakan,
who has knowledge of chemistry Zhor Zakaryan. In August-September 2016
Samvel Babayan, as the first party, purchased 100 banknotes in nominal
value of 50 euros, paying for them 2900 dollars. Then Karen Kocharyan
organized the transportation of these banknotes from Russia to Armenia
by bus with the help of Yerevan resident David Harutyunyan. However,
on September 20, 2016, banknotes were discovered and seized by NSS
officers in Yerevan.
As noted in the investigation of another criminal case, it became
known that Samvel Babayan, planning to acquire MANPADS "Igla",
promised in summer2016 Vaharshapat resident Sanasar Gabrielyan $ 50
thousand for his illegal acquisition, transportation and storage.
Gabrielyan illegally acquired the complex through residents of
Vagharshapat Armen Pogosyan and Hrachya Mailyana who traveled to
Georgia and agreed to purchase the complex for $ 38,000 through a
resident of the village of Vagharshapat RA living there. After the
delivery to Armenia, Poghosyan and Gabrielyan photographed it to show
Babayan. Samvel Babayan promised to pay 50 thousand dollars. On March
22, 2017, Mailyan voluntarily presented weapons to the National
Security Service. On the same day after Gabrielyan's detention, Samvel
Babayan tried to destroy photographs of weapons and eliminate all
traces, but he was also detained. To implement a comprehensive, full
and objective investigation, the above criminal cases were combined
into one proceeding. Samvel Babayan charged with Part 1 of Art. 190
and Part 2 of Art. 38-235 of the RA Criminal Code. The charge of
smuggling weapons was lifted. The criminal case against the indictment
is sent to the prosecutor who oversees. It should be reminded that the
court of general jurisdiction of Yerevan's administrative districts
Kentron and Nork-Marash granted an application for a 2-month detention
in respect of the former commander of the Defense Army Artsakh Samvel
Babayan within the framework of the criminal case on the smuggling of
MANPADS "Igla" . The former commander of the Artsakh Defense Army
Samvel Babayan was then charged on the grounds of Part 2 of Art. 235
and part 2 of article 235.1 of the RA Criminal Code.
The press service of the Prosecutor General's Office of Armenia
reported on March 25 that Samvel Babayan, the former commander of the
Artsakh Defense Army (NKR), although he does not recognize the
accusations brought against him in the case of the smuggling of the
Igla to the Armenia, during interrogation in the status of the
suspect, together with other Held in this case by suspects,
acknowledged his involvement in the illegal trafficking in ammunition
and reported on the incident.
