A certain Ara Karapetyan, wanted by U.S. law enforcement agencies for a string of robberies, has been linked to a break-in and physical assault on Armen Avetisyan, former head of the RoA Customs Committee, and has been arrested. Months ago, Armenian police official had reported uncovering a criminal gang that had broke into Mr. Avetisyan's home and stole 45 millon AMD in gold and other items at gun point on October 27, 2008. Some ten individuals were arrested for the crime including police officer Armen Nikoghosyan; Ara Karapetyan, manager of the "SAS" supermarket chain in Yerevan, decribed in the press as a "favorite" of MP Levon Sargsyan, and others. According to our information, the criminal group headed by Ara Karapetyan has appeared on the radar screen of United States law enforcement as well. The target of the group in the States was also gold jewellery but rather than breaking into private homes the criminals targeted jewellery companies and stores. U.S. law enforcement reports that from May-June 2004 the criminal ring stole some $150,000 worth of jewellery. After the string of robberies, Mr. Karapetyan fled the U.S. for Armenia in late June. It was by happenstance that Armenian authorities got wind of Karapetyan's criminal activities in the U.S. The Glendale, California police chief had handed over a list of names of Armenians wanted in the U.S.to the visiting Kotayk Regional Administration prosecutor in the hope of receiving Armenian assistance in tracking them down. We should note that the criminal acts committed by the group lead by Ara Karapetyan  have landed some of the members, A. Takvoryan, A. Grigoryan and S. Melkonyan, behind bars. In Armenia, the National Security Service has joined in the legal proceedings against Mr. Karapetyan.