Armenian authorities seize $45,000,000 worth heroin in “unprecedented” find

 13:24, 3 March, 2021

YEREVAN, MARCH 3, ARMENPRESS. Officers of the Anti-Contraband Department of the State Revenue Committee discovered 365kg of heroin during customs control of a cargo stored at a Yerevan customs depot with authorities describing the seizure as “unprecedented in the entire region.”

The 33 boxes containing heroin with a street price of nearly 45,000,000 dollars were hidden in a 18600kg cargo declared as “baker’s yeast”. The cargo was meant to be transported from Iran, through Armenia into Western Europe, the State Revenue Committee said.

Police and National Security Service officers were also involved in the intelligence work.

“The criminal scheme was discovered as a result of large-scale and comprehensive analytical work and complex tactical-intelligence actions,” the agency said, noting that the K9 units played an important role as well.

6 suspects are under arrest. Authorities said they all hold different citizenships. 

Authorities said they are investigating to reveal any other possible accomplices of the syndicate.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan