VIDEO: A passenger on the Yerevan-Kiev flight attempted to smuggle 5 kg of opium hidden in candy

The National Security Service of Armenia, under constant monitoring of illegal drug trafficking at an international level, has uncovered another case of an attempt to smuggle large quantities of narcotics into the country.

On February 15, 2020, with the collaboration of operatives from the NSS and the aviation security service at 'Armenia International Airports' CJSC, a suspicious female passenger—an Iranian citizen—was subjected to checks after passing through the customs control zone on the Yerevan-Kiev flight. During the inspection, it was discovered that she was attempting to smuggle 5 kilograms of opium, concealed in factory-packaged candy, from Iran through Ukraine to Great Britain.

According to the operational and investigative measures taken, the identified passenger had entered Armenia on the Tehran-Yerevan flight on February 12, 2020, and while residing in one of Yerevan's hotels, she received the batch of drugs brought into Armenia illegally from her accomplice at the Meghri customs checkpoint.

A criminal case has been initiated in the investigative department of the NSS under relevant articles of the Armenian Criminal Code concerning this incident. The smuggler brought to the airport has been arrested, and on the same day, her accomplice was also detained while leaving the territory of Armenia. An investigation is underway, and measures are being taken to identify and hold accountable other individuals involved in the criminal scheme, as well as to trace the financial flows resulting from the sale of the drugs.