The National Security Service (NSS) of Armenia has uncovered another case of officials causing major material damage to the state.

In a statement released by the NSS in this regard, it is stated that the facts have been obtained that in 2014-2016, the person who held the position of Deputy Minister of Finance during the specified period, and with the prior consent of his superior—the then Minister of Finance, misused his official power and obtained, under a preferential term loan agreement concluded with the government, 8,500 electronic locks worth 2,282,387,249 drams for the needs of the customs system. But a maximum of 2,000 electronic locks were actually needed for the needs of the customs system, whereas only 251 such locks were actually used until October 2019.

As a result, these actions of the former Minister of Finance and his deputy not only disrupted the normal functioning of the state body, but, also, the large-scale loans to the government were used inappropriately, causing material damage to the state totaling 1,747,195,905 drams.

It was decided to include this former Deputy Minister of Finance as a defendant under the Criminal Code.

But since this person has left Armenia in June 2018, an international search has been declared against him, and arrest was chosen by the court as his precautionary measure.

The investigation is still in progress.