Armenia Appoints New Military Police Chief and Busts Major US Freight Cyber Scam in Yerevan

Armenia has recently seen significant developments regarding both its military leadership and law enforcement operations.

New Chief of Military Police Appointed

Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan, acting on the recommendation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, has approved a key military leadership change. Major General Aram Hovhannisyan has been appointed as the new Chief of the Military Police, replacing Major General Ashot Zakaryan. Hovhannisyan brings relevant law enforcement experience to the role, having served as the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs from 2023 to 2025.

This leadership overhaul was previously signaled by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan following a recent non-combat fatality within the Armenian Armed Forces. The tragic incident was allegedly a suicide resulting from hazing and non-statutory relations among servicemen.

Major US Freight Fraud Busted in Yerevan

In a separate law enforcement action, Armenia's cyber police conducted a surprise raid on July 23 at a commercial space located within a hotel in the capital, Yerevan. The Ministry of Internal Affairs officially announced the special operation on August 14. Officers from the Investigative Committee—Armenia's primary criminal investigation body—alongside the cybercrime division, discovered specialized computer equipment at the scene.

"The members of the organization presented themselves as employees of companies transporting cargo in the United States," the Ministry of Internal Affairs statement noted, as reported by FreightWaves.

According to investigators, the suspects fraudulently rerouted cargo belonging to American companies, sold the stolen goods, and converted the illicit proceeds into cryptocurrency. The group then transferred these funds to accounts controlled by its members. Law enforcement has not yet disclosed the specific financial losses or the names of the targeted US organizations.

The Investigative Committee has officially initiated criminal proceedings. Armenian law enforcement agencies are continuing their cooperation with undisclosed US federal agencies to gather additional evidence and dismantle the network completely.