Friday, April 5 2019 13:51

ArmInfo.Director General of Sayka, the largest transport company in Armenia, David Ghazaryan  has been charged with tax evasion on a particularly large scale. The press  secretary of the State Revenue Committee (SRC), Lusine Mkrtchyan,  told ArmInfo correspondent about this.

According to the press office of the SRC, as a result of urgent  operational-search and investigative activities carried out by  employees of the Investigation Department of the Office for the  Detection of Corruption-related Crimes, a case of evasion from paying  a large-scale tax was detected.

Thus, the management of  "Spayka" during 2014-2015 through the  company purchased cheeses, pears, apples, Chinese cabbage, tomatoes  and other products from third countries that are not members of the  EEU, but from Europe, including Poland, Belgium - for their further  transportation and import to Armenia.  Goods for the period January  1, 2015- January 11, 2016 through the territory of Georgia was  imported into Armenia. When imported to Armenia at the customs border  of Georgia, Georgian customs officers were presented with the  necessary documentation indicating actual data, including real  invoices. However, the Armenian customs officers were presented with  false documents that, allegedly, the imported products are  exclusively products exempted from customs duty and VAT, and  "Greenprodukt" LLC, managed by the management of "Spayka" LLC, acted  as the importing organization.

Thus, as noted by the SRC, on the basis of an expert opinion for the  period January 1, 2015-January 11, 2016, applying the "smart" metod,  promptly declaring the actual data on imported products,  "intentionally" without paying taxes and other obligatory payments to  the budget, " As a result of the entrepreneurial activity of Spayka  LLC, the state treasury did not receive 7.036.666.312 drams in the  form of customs duties and taxes.

In order to establish the amount of damage to the state for 2016,  2017 and 2018, investigative and procedural legal actions continue.

On April 4, 2019, Spayka CEO David Ghazaryan was charged with tax  evasion on a particularly large scale on grounds of part 2, art 205th  of RA Criminal Code.

Officially reported that Ghazaryan was not detained. The  Investigation Department of the SRC filed a petition with the court  of general instance to determine the measure of restraint in its  relation in the form of arrest. The petition will be discussed today,  on April 5.

"The preliminary investigation of the case continues, the necessary  operational-investigative, as well as procedural measures are taken  to personalize the actions of each person taking part in the above  actions, including the final determination of the extent of damage  caused to the state," the statement said.

To note Spayka LLC began its activities in 2001 as an international  cargo carrier. By 2010, the company took a leading position in the  field of freight services at the regional level. The company also  exports and sells fruits and vegetables to Russia, the CIS countries  and Europe. The company was often associated with the names of the  2nd President of the Republic of Armenia Robert Kocharyan and the  son-in-law of the 3rd President Mikayel Minasyan.

On March 26, 2019, "Spayka" involved a cheese factory, in which $ 15  million was invested and at the opening of which was attended by  Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. At the same time, general director of  the Spayka company David Ghazaryan said in a conversation with  journalists that none of the representatives of the previous  government had a share in the business and did not require any  shares. At the same time, he assured that the previous authorities  put no obstacles to business. "I didn't carry any suitcases with  money to the President of Armenia," the General Director of "Spayka"  assured. (Earlier, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated  that businessmen carried money to former authorities of the country,  Ed. note). Ghazaryan also added that "Spayka" do not have problems in  interacting with the new authorities. Referring to tax audits in July  2018, the general director stated that the reports were corrected  according to the requirements of the tax authorities, and the missing  funds were paid. "Therefore, one should not think that they are at  enmity with us or are pursuing us," the businessman said.

To recall, the State Revenue Committee (SRC) of Armenia and the RA  Police in June 2018 searched the territory of "Spayka" LLC. The  company was accused of hiding real turnover from the Armenian tax  authorities; as a result, the state budget of Armenia did not receive  taxes in the amount of 2 billion drams (1.666.694 drams or $ 4.16  million). According to the results of the adjustment of interaction  with the budget, the company to the budget paid the missing amount.