A case of plunder of paintings plundered from the National Gallery of Armenia many years ago has been revealed through the complex, large-scale operative intelligence measures and investigative actions undertaken by the National Security Service and Investigative Committee of Armenia, reports the press center of the National Security Service of Armenia.

In particular, the National Security Service received operative data according to which two citizens of Armenia want to sell Matthias Brasau’s “The Hunter” and Isaac Levitan’s “Edute: Spring Landscape” stolen from the National Gallery of Armenia SNCO.

An inspection showed that back in June 2012, the Investigative Committee had instituted a criminal case in relation to the theft of ten museum objects, including the aforementioned paintings from the gallery and director’s office of the National Gallery of Armenia between 1951 and 1992, but the crime had not been revealed, the museum objects were not found, and the proceedings of the criminal case were suspended.

The National Security Service has apprehended the people who sold the objects and are linked to the alleged crime and have found and confiscated the mentioned paintings.

Measures are being taken to ensure objective, comprehensive and full study of all the circumstances, establish the full scope of persons who may be linked to the case and find those people.

Preliminary investigation continues.