Frozen Buffalo Meat: A Who’s Who Of Armenia’s Top Importers

FROZEN BUFFALO MEAT: A WHO’S WHO OF ARMENIA’S TOP IMPORTERS
Vahe Sarukhanyan

October 9, 2012

The third largest taxpayer in Armenia also turns out to be the largest
importer of frozen buffalo meat.

Aleks Grig, formerly Aleks Group Ltd., is the company in question
and it will come as no shock to readers that it belongs to Armenian
MP Samvel Aleksanyan.

The below table shows who the top players are in the buffalo meat
importing sector. In the past 21 months, the company has imported
some 7,278 tons of the stuff.

Back in 2009 the Armenian press revealed that the frozen meat was
being used in sausage making and that large quantities were being
sold in stores under the guise of fresh beef to unsuspecting consumers.

The government was apprised of the violations but little has been
done to remedy the situation. Aleksanyan’s company was the largest
importer when the story broke and remains so today.

The question arises whether the government is unwilling or unable to
go after Aleks Grig which paid some 9.279 billion AMD in taxes during
the first half of 2012.

2011

2012 (January-September)

Total Tons

Aleks Grig Ltd

6319

959

7278

Parkev Ltd.

1755

1809

3564

Mokonut Ltd.

981

981

Armen-Hamik Brothers Ltd.

671

1243

1914

Universam Avan Ltd.

361

584

945

Moush Ltd.

238

238

Sam-Ser Group Ltd.

690

690

When we check the official website of the company in the RA State
Registry, two individuals are listed as founders – Anastas Arutunyan,
a U.S. citizen residing in North Hollywood, and RA citizen Mher
Gharibyan.

Gharibyan used to work as the director of Aleksanyan’s Yerevan
Supermarket chain and is one of the founders of Aleksanyan’s Fleet
Food Company.

Given that most of Aleksanyan’s companies are registered under the
names of family members and close friends, it’s difficult to find a
paper trail that leads back to him.

Let’s take another look at the chart of buffalo meat importers.

You’ll see the name of a company called Sam-Ser Group Ltd. Last year
it imported no meat at all. This year, it imported 690 tons.

It’s interesting to note that the company lists as founders Victor
Manoukyan, a citizen of Armenia, and Russian citizen Sergei Pashko.

Manoukyan is also listed as a founder of MP Aleksanyan’s former
company Saleks Group Ltd. That’s to say that Manoukyan is one of the
businessman’s cronies.

Sam-Ser is also listed as the 13th largest taxpayer in the first half
of 2012, forking over 2.5 billion to the government.

Both companies are heavily engaged in other food-related sectors as
well. Aleks Grig imports large quantities of meat and meat products
from Brazil, while Sam-Ser imports dairy goods from New Zealand.
All the goods are transported via American ports.

Another company that imports buffalo meat is Armen-Hamik Brothers
Ltd. According to our sources, one Albert Ohandjanyan, the man facing
criminal charges for fraudulently selling frozen buffalo meat to the
Armenian Army, has family ties to the owners to the company.

The company is no newcomer to the importing business. It imported
732 tons of frozen buffalo meat in the 2008 and the 1st half of 2009.

According to the RA State Company Registry the owners are Edik
Hovhannisyan, Hayk Margaryan and Vahe Shkhrtmyan; but the names
reveal nothing.

The company is better known for its Original brand of coffee and the
manufacture of metal tiles and frames. It also makes children’s toys.

Visit the village of Geghashen in Kotayk Province, where the company
is based, and the locals will point out its true owner, whom they’ve
nicknamed, “Coffee Arthur”.

According to our info, the company supplies the army with canned
steamed beef.

The company is the 65th largest taxpayer in Armenia at almost 710
million AMD.

(To be continued)

From: A. Papazian