First time in two years, Armenian customs agents find inbound fentanyl

YEREVAN, JANUARY 23, ARMENPRESS. Armenian customs authorities announced Tuesday they seized more drugs in 2023 compared to the previous years, a growth attributed to higher rate of findings.

The anti-smuggling department of the State Revenue Committee (SRC) of Armenia found 393 cases of smuggling in 2023, which is 11,97% more compared to 2022.

373 of the 393 cases were drug trafficking attempts.

In a statement, the SRC said the amount of confiscated narcotics in 2023 amounts to the highest number of findings in the past few years.

“A significant growth in the findings of the most common narcotics has been recorded, which is the best indicator in the past years. In 2023, in total, 373 cases of drug and psychedelic material smuggling cases were recorded,” the SRC said and issued a chart of findings.

The number of confiscated methamphetamine drugs also grew significantly.

Drug type	2021	2022	2023
	Quantity/kg	Quantity / kg	Quantity / kg
Marijuana	0.86	10.6	13.00211
Methamphetamine	1.38	7.3	12.49
Hashish	0.33	0	2.21
Fentanyl	0	0	80 tablets
Cocaine	2.74	0.078	1.223