YEREVAN, OCTOBER 15, ARMENPRESS. Minister of Internal Affairs Vahe Ghazaryan revealed to lawmakers in parliament that stronger anti-drug trafficking measures have resulted in a 46.6% average increase in drug busts over the past five years. Speaking at a hearing on the 2019-2024 Crime Rate and Results of Reforms, Ghazaryan highlighted significant accomplishments in combating drug trafficking.

Ghazaryan stated, “In the reporting period, a total of 1 ton and 220 kilos of narcotics were seized, with only 62 kilos being synthetic. The Minister also noted the rise of online drug trafficking, with 631 cases discovered between 2021 and 2023. As a response, a specialized division dealing with online drug trafficking cases has been established in the criminal police department.”

He emphasized that drug trafficking is a transnational crime and highlighted the importance of high professional capacity and technological equipment in combating this issue.