The preliminary investigation of the illegal drug trafficking and money laundering of 8 million drams received from "Telegram" has been completed.

As a result of systematic investigative and operational operations carried out by the investigation team of the Main Department of the RA Investigative Committee for the Investigation of Human Trafficking, Sexual Immunity of Minors, and Drug Trafficking Crimes of the RA Investigative Committee, the production, preparation, and sale of narcotics, as well as the resulting illegal proceeds, were discovered. in the case of legalizing income, a number of important circumstances, including the mechanism.

In particular, during the investigation, factual data was obtained that a 37-year-old man, a resident of the city of Yerevan, during the years 2020-2023, with the prior agreement with other persons, whose identity has not yet been determined by the investigation, with selfish motives, with the intention of engaging in illegal drug trafficking in particularly large quantities, in order to realize , in a growing manner, illegally produced and prepared especially large quantities of "mass of any kind of mushrooms containing psilocybin and (or) psilocin" type of narcotic, ensured its separation by weight, packaging, pre-placement in hiding places, taking photos of their locations, using a software application were noted the geographical coordinates of their locations. Through the online store-platforms registered in the telecommunication application "Telegram", they were transferred to persons who expressed a desire to purchase narcotics and transferred funds in the corresponding amount to cryptocurrency wallets actually managed by the criminals, thereby realizing the sale of the said narcotics.

As a result of the necessary measures taken during the preliminary investigation, a part of the manufactured and prepared narcotic in particularly large quantities, with a total constant dry weight of 40.09 grams, of the narcotic type "mass of any kind of mushrooms containing psilocybin and (or) psilocin", the 37-year-old man illegally kept in his in the apartment, which were found and taken during the search.

In addition, the same person, having created the necessary conditions in his apartment, increased the circulation of large quantities of prohibited drugs: 45 pieces, "whole mushrooms containing psilocybin and (or) psilocin", which were found and taken during the search.

During the investigation, factual information was also obtained that in order to hide the criminal origin, movement and distribution of the funds obtained from the sale of narcotics, and to give them a legal appearance, the 37-year-old man, with prior agreement with his accomplices, provided them to people who expressed a desire to purchase narcotics, for the purpose of transferring money. , multiple cryptocurrency wallet data that changes regularly.

After that, the drug buyers made money transfers of the appropriate amount to these electronic wallets and, sending the transfer receipts to the mentioned online store-platforms, illegally purchased the ordered drug.

The received crypto-currency was transferred to crypto-currency wallets operated by persons engaged in crypto-currency exchange in the territory of the RA, after which the converted funds, on the instructions of the accomplices, were transferred to various electronic wallets, bank accounts, cashed or otherwise managed by persons involved in criminal activities.

It was found that during the years 2022-2023, in the described manner, a large sum of money obtained through criminal means was transferred to the wallet identified in the "Idram" payment system and managed by the 37-year-old man. in size: a total of AMD 8,348,549. Money laundering was carried out in that way.

Based on the obtained sufficient facts, the 37-year-old resident of Yerevan was charged with Article 393, Part 3, Clause 2, Article 404, Part 1, and Article 296, Part 2, 1 of the RA Criminal Code. and points 2. As a preventive measure, the ban on absence was applied to him.

Regarding the latter, the preliminary investigation was announced and the materials of the proceedings, with the indictment, were sent to the supervising prosecutor.

The investigation of other persons involved in the criminal chain of drug sales and money laundering continues.