Reputed crime figure Artur Asatryan (aka Don Pipo), arrested on June 16 on kidnapping and illegal arms possession charges, was released today from pre-trial detention after paying bail of AMD 50 million ($103,640).

Gegham Hakobyan, Asatryan’s lawyer, reported the news to Hetq.

Asatryan and Manvel Grigoryan, a retired army general and former Armeniandeputy defense minister, were arrested on the same day after a raid of their Etchmiadzin homes unearthed large amounts of illegal arms and ammunition.

Asatryan is charged with the kidnapping of three individuals -Arkady Kochinyan, Artak Ayvazyan and Vazgen Ghazakhetsyan – who were part of a group planning to murder him.

The three have since been charged with plotting to murder Asatryan and two other members of the criminal world.