During the preliminary investigation of the criminal proceedings initiated in the Investigation Department of the RA National Security Service and investigated by the RA Anti-Corruption Committee, factual information was obtained that the employee of the RA State Revenue Committee A. H. (he was dismissed from the position of the customs service by the order of the SRC Chairman of the Republic of Armenia dated 14.10.2022) assisted G. D., S. D. and G. D., who were engaged in business activities, in giving a bribe to an SRC official for illegal inaction. In particular, it was found that A. H. assisted in the process of exporting around 300 boxes of cigarettes without excise stamps without declaration, bypassing customs control under the guise of 8 tons of facing tiles by the mentioned persons in return for a bribe.
In order to carry out smoothly the process of illegally exporting the mentioned goods, in order to transfer to another SRC official, A. H. demanded a particularly large bribe of USD 15,000 equivalent to AMD 6,100,350 from the above-mentioned persons, of which USD 4,000 equivalent to AMD 1,626,760 was received in July 2022. According to the agreement, the truck loaded with cigarettes, hidden from customs control without excise stamps, was supposed to cross the customs border of RA on August 14, 2022, but the said vehicle did not cross it due to circumstances beyond the will of the criminals. Later, on August 30, 2022, at the Bagratashen customs point, the mentioned truck was inspected by the employees of the RA NSS and the SRC, as a result of which 199,000 packs of different types of cigarettes were found hidden from customs control.
On November 8, 2022 G. D., S. D. and G. D. were charged under Article 436, part 3, point 2 of the RA Criminal Code, and A. H., according to Article 46-436, part 3, point 2 of the RA Criminal Code.
On the same day, RA Anti-Corruption Committee investigator made decisions on detaining them for selecting taking into custody as a measure of restriction towards mentioned defendants.
The investigation is ongoing.
Notification. the person accused of a crime is considered innocent until his guilt is proven in accordance with the procedure established by the RA Criminal Procedure Code by a verdict entered into legal force.
