In a significant enforcement action targeting illicit online drug commerce, a federal court in the United States this week sentenced 36-year-old Davit Avalyan of Glendale to 57 months (nearly five years) in federal prison for his role in a long-running darknet drug trafficking operation. Avalyan’s sentence concludes one of the more extensive darknet-based narcotics conspiracies prosecuted in recent years.
How the Operation Worked
Avalyan pleaded guilty in October 2025 to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, admitting participation in a criminal enterprise that leveraged the anonymity of the darknet and cryptocurrency to market and sell illegal narcotics across the United States.
From September 2018 through February 2025, prosecutors allege that Avalyan and three co-defendants—Hrant Gevorgyan, Hayk Grigoryan (a.k.a. “Hayk Greg”), and Gurgen Nersesyan (a.k.a. “Guro Tiko”)—operated a network of multiple pseudonymous vendor accounts on darknet marketplaces. These storefronts included names such as JoyInc, LaFarmacia, WhiteDoc, JanesAddiction, PlanetHollywood, DopeValley, and others.
Customers used cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Monero to purchase illegal substances including:
- Cocaine
- Methamphetamine
- MDMA (ecstasy)
- Ketamine
The operation accepted payments in crypto to exploit the relative privacy these currencies afford, facilitating anonymous transactions between buyers and vendors.
Delivery and Logistics
Once orders were placed and paid for, Avalyan’s group would package the narcotics into parcels and drop them off at U.S. Postal Service locations and mailboxes throughout Los Angeles County and other areas for distribution nationwide.
Authorities characterized storefronts like JoyInc as among the most prolific methamphetamine and cocaine distributors ever to operate on darknet marketplaces. These accounts appeared on dozens of darknet platforms over the years, including legacy markets and modern successors.
Law Enforcement Response
The case against Avalyan and his co-defendants was developed and prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice, with investigative support from multiple federal agencies. This multi-agency effort included:
- The FBI’s Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement (JCODE) task force
- The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
- The U.S. Postal Inspection Service
- The IRS Criminal Investigation Division
- Local law enforcement in Los Angeles
JCODE, in particular, is focused on dismantling narcotics trafficking operations that exploit darknet anonymity and digital currencies—methods that conventional anti-drug strategies struggle to penetrate.
Sentencing of Co-Defendants
Avalyan is the last of four defendants in this prosecution to be sentenced. His co-conspirators received significant prison terms earlier:
- Hayk Grigoryan: 10 years
- Gurgen Nersesyan: 43 months
- Hrant Gevorgyan: 24 months
Broader Context: Darknet Narcotics Enforcement
This case reflects a broader trend of law enforcement adapting to the evolving landscape of online illicit markets. Over the past several years, authorities have dismantled or disrupted numerous darknet operations, including global actions such as Operation RapTor, which led to hundreds of arrests of darknet vendors and buyers across multiple countries.
These operations underscore the persistent challenge posed by darknet markets—platforms that mimic legitimate e-commerce but deal exclusively in illegal goods and services—and the ongoing need for specialized investigative units capable of bridging the gap between cryptocurrency usage and real-world enforcement.
