Police arrest 17 for drug dealing in Tbilisi and regions

Police have arrested 17 individuals, including four foreign citizens, for sale, purchase and possession of drugs in Tbilisi and other regions of the country, the Ministry of Internal Affairs said on Wednesday.

A police statement said law enforcers had discovered the suspects were selling drugs “on a regular basis”, and recorded evidence through a controlled purchase of various types of substances from the dealers.

Law enforcers seized 2,945 pills of tramadol, 2,586 pills of methadone, 71 packages of heroin, firearms and 305 cartridges during a personal search of the suspects.

Fourteen of the arrested individuals have been charged with the sale of drugs, while the rest face charges of purchase and possession.

The crimes are punishable up to 20 years in prison, or life imprisonment.