"Fact" daily writes:
In recent days, the events unfolding around the State Revenue Committee have come into the public spotlight, after a series of interrelated episodes, which concern both the "Zvartnots" customs service, the Meghri customs office, and the current control department of the SRC. According to the available information, in November, the import of phones without customs control was recorded at the "Zvartnots" customs office.
It is noted that the head of the internal security department of SRC Garnik Margaryan instructed the head of the "Zvartnots" customs department transferred to SRC, Vahagn Sahakyan, to allow the passage of the said cargo. According to the same sources, the latter forwarded the relevant instruction to his subordinates. The case was revealed by the deputy head of the "Zvartnots" customs department, who found the actions carried out suspicious. As a result of studying the scanner images, the transfer of phones without proper control was recorded.
According to information, it was reported on the day of the incident, but there was no response. On December 10, SRC officially denied the fact of smuggling and SRC officials' involvement in it. However, already on December 13, after publications in the press, the committee announced to start an official investigation. At the same time, it is noted that the SRC chairman was informed not only about the incident, but also about the participation of the head of the internal security department in November.
On December 24, another incident took place at "Zvartnots" customs. It was written in the press that during the corporate event, the head of the department, Rafael Zakaryan, cursed the persons involved in the phone smuggling case. After that, the head of the department Vahagn Sargsyan attacked the head of the department, as a result of which a fight took place. On January 15, law enforcement agencies arrested five officials of "Zvartnots" customs.
The Anti-Corruption Committee confirmed the fact of arrests without publishing details. SRC, for its part, announced that the case was revealed by law enforcement officers on the basis of materials provided by SRC. According to the updated data, the court chose a preventive measure against three of the arrested.
It is also noted that the head of the department, who is among the arrested, previously worked in the investigative bodies and was transferred to SRC with the mediation of the head of the internal security department, being one of his close friends. At the same time, according to widespread information, in response to the requests of the law enforcement officers, the SRC stated twice that the video recordings related to the incident were not preserved. Only after it became clear that the videos were available were additional materials handed over to the investigative authorities.
In addition to the "Zvartnots" case, another case of smuggling was recorded at the Meghri customs office. According to information, an attempt was made to import around 500 kilograms of expensive equipment to Armenia without any formalities. Hovhannes Amirkhanyan, the head of the customs office of Meghri, who, according to reported data, was recently appointed to that position by the decision of the SRC president and the petition of the head of the first department of the SRC, is detained in the framework of this case. It is also mentioned that he is the son of the SRK chairman's aunt.
According to widespread information, the son of the president's other aunt was also employed in the SRC, and claims are circulating in the same circles that these connections are also being discussed in the case of Meghri. A separate episode concerns the SRC current control department. According to available information, the head of the department, Artur Hakobyan, was appointed to that position by the mediation of Hakob Arshakyan's advisor, Sergey Muradyan.
It is noted that Artur Hakobyan's subordinates found unregistered workers in the company owned by his friend, after which the latter forced his subordinates to pay the fine with his own funds.
Thus, during the last months, a number of related incidents have been recorded in SRC regarding smuggling, abuse of official powers and violations of internal discipline. At the official level, the facts of the arrests and official investigations have been confirmed, while the details of the specific episodes remain limited.
Details in today's issue of "Past" daily
