U.S. authorities detain sibling of Armenia's freshly appointed U.S. Ambassador for alleged drug and weapon offenses

Newly Appointed Armenian Ambassador's Brother Arrested on Drug and Weapons Charges

In a surprising turn of events, Mkrtich Mkrtchyan, the brother of the newly appointed Armenian Ambassador to the US, Narek Mkrtchyan, was arrested in Yerevan on drug and weapons charges.

According to reports by RFE/RL, the arrest took place in a suburb of Yerevan. The police stopped a car and the passenger, later identified as Mkrtich Mkrtchyan, immediately fled and threw a gun and a 'powder-like substance'. No prohibited items were found on Mkrtich Mkrtchyan's person during the arrest.

A criminal case has been opened on illegal weapons and drug trafficking charges related to the passenger in the Mkrtich Mkrtchyan arrest. The police are still searching for the passenger in the car where Mkrtich Mkrtchyan was a passenger.

Narek Mkrtchyan, in a statement, assured that his public status or current position cannot interfere with the legal proceedings. He stated that everyone is equal before the law in Armenia and the guilty will be held accountable.

It is worth noting that prior to his appointment as Ambassador, Narek Mkrtchyan held a position for four years, though no specific timeframe is given. He had previously served as Labour Minister. The position of Armenian Ambassador to the US was previously held by Lilit Makunts.

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The search results do not contain information about the current head of the Armenian Embassy in the United States before the arrest of Mkrtich Mkrtchyan. As the situation unfolds, updates will be provided.