Summary of results of searches conducted at penitentiary institutions in the period between 5 and 10 August

On 7 and 8 August, employees of "Nubarashen" Penitentiary Institution of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia, realising operational data, conducted unexpected searches, as a result of which they found 7 mobile phones, 6 chargers, 4 subscription cards, 1 Wi-Fi device, 1 battery, 4 pairs of headphones, 8 cutting-piercing tools,
4 self-made ropes, 2 factory-made decks and 1 self-made deck of playing cards in different cells. On 8 August, at around 16:30, during a tour in a residential zone, employees of "Hospital of Convicts" Penitentiary Institution of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia found a polyethylene bag with 4 mobile phones and 4 dice underneath newly baked soil. On the same day, employees of "Hrazdan" Penitentiary Institution of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia found 4 mobile phones in hollow spaces of cells while conducting unexpected searches.

Materials are being prepared in relation to the specified facts.

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On 7 August, employees of the Operational Division of the Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia, realising operational data, conducted unexpected searches at "Vanadzor" Penitentiary Institution of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia, as a result of which they found 2 self-made ropes and 2 self-made slings, 1 mobile phone, 1 battery, 3 chargers, 2 pairs of headphones, 3 dice, 36 factory-made and 32 self-made playing cards in the cells.

Materials are being prepared in relation to the specified facts.

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On 7 August, at around 09:00, employees of "Nubarashen" Penitentiary Institution of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia, realising operational data, conducted an unexpected search, as a result of which they found 2 psychotropic drug tablets of type "Lyrica 50mg" and "Lyrica 75mg" with a total weight of 0.4 grams and 64 chopped pieces of a pill of a light colour with a weight of 3.9 grams inside the plastic container in the safe of one of the cells of the Penitentiary Institution.

Materials are being prepared in relation to the specified facts. A forensic-chemical expert examination has been assigned.

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On 5 August, at around 09:10, employees of "Hrazdan" Penitentiary Institution of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia conducted an unexpected search, as a result of which they found prohibited items — 11 mobile phones, 11 decks of playing cards, 6 batteries of a mobile phone, 2 USB wires, 1 computer mouse, 1 plug for a charger, 20 litres of a self-made spirit drink and 0.750 litres of medicinal spirit — in the built-in hollow space within the floor in one of the cells of the 3rd building of the Penitentiary Institution.

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On 4 August, at around 09:00, employees of the Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia, realising the operational data obtained from the National Security Service of the Republic of Armenia, as a result of actions taken jointly with officers of the National Security Service, prevented the attempt of V. A., feldsher of the Medical Service Division of "Armavir" Penitentiary Institution of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia, for penetration of a large amount of a narcotic drug, pills containing psychotropic substances and other prohibited items into the Penitentiary Institution.

After a search of the car of V. A. parked in the administrative territory of "Armavir" Penitentiary Institution of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Armenia, several prohibited items planned to be transferred to the convicts of "Armavir" Penitentiary Institution were found, including 2 packages of 40 grams of dry, yellow-green herbal mass similar to the narcotic drug of "marijuana" type, 50 psychotropic drug tablets of type "Lyrica 30mg", 5 mobile phones and 2 chargers of a mobile phone, AMD 124.000, 1 bottle of 1 litre factory-made brandy, 6 bottles of 1 litre beer.

The prepared materials have been transferred to the preliminary investigation body; in relation to the case of illegally acquiring, transferring and delivering narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances for the purpose of realising them in the place of serving punishment through imprisonment, as well as the attempt of persons serving punishment at "Armavir" Penitentiary Institution to illegally acquire large amounts of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, a criminal case has been instituted by the Armavir Regional Investigation Department of the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia under part 2 of Articles 34-268 and point 3 of part 2 of Article 266 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia. V. A., feldsher of "Armavir" Penitentiary Institution, is under arrest.

Notice:         Any person suspected in or charged with an offence shall be presumed innocent until proven guilty, as prescribed by the Criminal Procedure Code of the Republic of Armenia, by a court judgment having entered into legal force.