Yerevan airport customs officer arrested over suspected diamond smuggling
03.04.2013,
13:29
Armenia’s special investigation service detained the head of the passenger customs control department of Zvartnots international airport in Yerevan Arsen Papazyan Tuesday on suspicion of diamond smuggling, Novosti-Armenia reported referring to the press office of the investigation service.
YEREVAN, April 3. /ARKA/. Armenia’s special investigation service detained the head of the passenger customs control department of Zvartnots international airport in Yerevan Arsen Papazyan Tuesday on suspicion of diamond smuggling, Novosti-Armenia reported referring to the press office of the investigation service.
Another resident of Yerevan, Ashot Gasparyan, was detained together with Papazyan.
A criminal procedure is instituted under Armenian penal code article 215 part 4 (smuggling by an official using his official position, maximal term of imprisonment is 12 years and seizure of property).
According to preliminary inquest, a total of 2,702.58 carats (or over 0.5 kg) of diamonds were smuggled into Armenia from the United Arab Emirates on March 1 2013, in collusion with Papazyan, says the report.
The preliminary inquest is under way.
According to local mass media, one carat costs 3.5 thousand dollars on average. Hence, the rough estimates show the minimum total cost of the smuggled diamonds is 10 million dollars, RIA Novosti says. -0-
