The gang is neutralized

We will find out who are its members in the short run

In connection with the criminal case investigated by the general investigation board of the police of the Republic of Armenia (RA), early in the morning yesterday, in accordance with information provided by the general board of criminal investigation of the police of RA, the officers of the mentioned board and the general board of fight against organized crime of the police, as well as of the Yerevan board and its subdivisions, with active participation of first deputy chief of police of RA Hunan Poghosyan conducted a joint operation that resulted in neutralizing armed members of an organized criminal group that carried out burglary attacks on the apartments of former officials and businessmen. The law-enforcers pursued the suspected group, the members of which ran away in a black Mercedes with 60 OO 086 numbers, but they ran into a post and brake. The suspects of a crime were thrown out of the car and tried to escape, which was hindered. Two of them who resisted were caught and brought in, and the third, 49-year-old Gurgen Hayrapetyan by the nickname “Yetim” tried to escape over the rock stretching along Myasnikyan Avenue, but he fell down and died. By the way, he was sentenced to 9-year imprisonment for a burglary attack in Russia and served his punishment till last year and was released from the “Erebuny” correctional institution on parole.
After neutralizing the gang, information that sons of state officials are also in the gang was spread in the mass media. In particular, deputy chief of the Special Investigation Service (SIS) Marsel Matevosyan’s son Nshan Matevosyan, sons of a high-ranking detective from the investigation board of the Defense Ministry and head of the criminal court of appeals of RA Tigran Sahakyan were mentioned. All of them certainly denied information of their sons’ involvement in that serious crime and their arrest, nevertheless, it turned out that Marsel Matevosyan’s son who studied at Law Faculty of the Yerevan State University (YSU) and was an intern in the court of Kentron and Nork-Marash administrative districts was brought in. The police and press secretary of the Attorney General Sona Truzyan claim that he was brought in along with the others from the vicinity of YSU to identify the owners of some cars in the framework of the measures taken.
Around 13 people have been arrested, but according to “Aravot’s” sources close to the police, it is not the whole list of the criminal group and the investigation and search operations will continue to discover other possible members. Other sources close to the police mention, however, that the group consisted of 7 people, and other six people arrested are only indirectly connected to them. By the way, during a conversation with “Aravot” a few days ago a high-ranking police officer mentioned that the police was actively involved in discovering the gang, adding that there were strong doubts that present or former officers of the police might be involved in the gang. Yesterday we tried to confirm this information. According to unofficial information, there are former officers of the National Security Service (NSS) and the police in the group.
Yesterday different subdivisions of the police of RA searched residents of the suspects, where a large amount of weapons, ammunition and crime tools were discovered. An investigation group discovered a large sum of money and the passport of one of the criminals in an apartment in the 7th sector of Nork that was rented by the members of the gang. It has been discovered so far that the criminal group was possibly very well organized, rented apartments in different suburbs of Yerevan and often moved from one place to another to cover up its tacks. According to “Aravot’s” information the law-enforcers found a list of 9-11 people with their addresses and phone numbers in the same apartment. According to certain information, there were also MPs and businessmen on the list. Let me remind that police officers stated earlier that they had information about crimes prepared by the gang. An investigation was launched, according to paragraph 2 of article 316 and article 235 of the Criminal Code of RA, “use of force against a government representative” and “illegally carrying and keeping weapons and ammunition.”