Edvin Hefikyan, a citizen of Iran now living in Armenia, was sentenced to twelve years imprisonment on January 13 for smuggling large amounts of heroin into Armenia with the intent to sell the same overseas.

Hefikyan, an Iranian-Armenian, crossed into Armenia on foot at the Meghri customs checkpoint and walked through the “nothing to declare” section.

The following day, Hefikyan, with fake documents posing as Iranian citizen Razmik Babakhani, went to a local messenger company called Transimpeks and attempted to send 5430.4 grams of heroin to Canada hidden in plastic cylinders. The shipment was declared as containing rug making parts.

But the package never made it to Canada. On the same day, it was intercepted by units of Armenia’s National Security Service (NSS). Hefikyan was placed under close surveillance.

On June 26, Hefikyan attempted another shipment of drugs, this time 2678.68 grams via the Yumaks parcel company. Again, posing as Razmik Babakhani, the package was to be shipped to Canada.

The NSS intercepted the package and its contents the same day.