On 21 August, 2021 operative information was received in Ararat Police Division informing that 22 year-old resident of Ararat region had fired shots from the firearm kept by him illegally in Little Vedi community of Ararat region.

On the same day at 01:15 the young man turned himself to Ararat Police Division and presented a rifle of “AKM” type and an empty rifle cartridge.

In the result of taken measures it was found out that the latter had voluntarily participated in Artsakh war in 2020 during which he had found a rifle, a cartridge for rifle and a few bullets which he had brought with him to the Republic of Armenia and kept in the workshop of «concrete pillars» owned by him located in the village of Lusarat of Ararat region. Then on 20 August, 2021 at about 22:00 in the field adjoining P. Sevak Street of little Vedi village the young man fired a few shots with the mentioned rifle.

Through inspection of the scene 3 fired shells were found.

A criminal case was initiated in Ararat Police Division according to the Part 1 of the Article 235 of RA Criminal Code which was sent to Vedi Investigative Division of Ararat Regional Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee for conduction of preliminary investigation.

During the search conducted within the framework of the criminal case in the young man’s residence the latter’s father - 61 year-old man, who is the Chairman of Ararat regional subdivision of "Yerkrapah Volunteer Union" NGO, from the box in the house storage presented two body armors, 18 storage boxes of a rifle charged with 430 bullets of 7.62mm caliber, 3 cartridge cases charged with 111 bullets of 5.45mm caliber, 4 unopened, metal boxes in factory condition with 2800 bullets of 7.62mm caliber in them, 1 opened metal box with 340 bullets of 7.62 caliber in it, a plastic container with 365 bullets of 7.62mm caliber in it, 1 "F1" type grenade without an explosive, 1 “RGP-5” type grenade without an explosive, 1 grenade explosive, one knife, 1 “Toz” type shotgun of 5.6mm caliber, 1 “SKS” type shotgun of 7.62mm caliber, one double-barrel smoothbore shotgun with cut barrels.  

Besides, 1 double-barrel shotgun was found through search on the metal shelf in the same storage, a grenade explosive was found in the metal shelf, an unopened box for bullets with 1400 bullets of 7.62mm caliber in it was found in the cellar of the house.

Pursuant to obtained data, 61 year-old man had collected the mentioned weapons and ammunition from different regions of Artsakh during the last Artsakh war.

A criminal case was initiated in Ararat Regional Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee according to the Part 1 of the Article 235 of RA Criminal Code which was combined to the above-mentioned criminal case.

61 year-old man was arrested on suspicion of illegal procurement, transportation, carrying or keeping of weapons, ammunition, explosives.

Preliminary investigation is underway.

Once again, we urge all citizens who keep weapons and ammunition procured illegally, to hand them over to relevant bodies.

Note; Everyone charged with alleged crime offence shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law.