Armenia jails outlawed “thief in law” mafioso

YEREVAN, AUGUST 28, ARMENPRESS. The National Security Service said a high-ranking reputed crime boss “thief-in-law” Gevorg “Oshakantsi Gevorik” Melikyan has been jailed amid an ongoing criminal investigation involving his alleged involvement in organized crime and racketeering.

The “thief-in-law”, a rank somewhat similar to the American Mafia’s “made men”, was arrested on suspicion of attempted extortion and his membership to an organized crime group. Under the Armenian law enacted earlier this year, it is illegal to belong to a “criminal subculture” even if no specific other crime has been committed.

Charges were pressed against two other persons.

Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan