Georgian police arrest 62 for drug crimes, including 46 for trafficking

Georgian law enforcement officers have arrested 62 individuals for drug crimes, including 46 who have been charged with drug trafficking, with the group including both Georgian and foreign citizens. 

The Interior Ministry said on Tuesday the “large-scale” operation had covered eight Georgian cities, including capital Tbilisi, and added that along with Georgian citizens, Jordanian and Latvian nationals had been arrested for sale and attempted sale of drugs, and also charged with preparing the crime.

Law enforcement officers recording offenders per the court's permission. Video: Interior Ministry press office.

Police have seized batches of heroin, cocaine, alpha PVP, buprenorphine, ecstasy, methadone, ketamine, lyrica, opium and marijuana in “large quantities” from the group, with Georgian nationals and citizens from up to 20 foreign states - including Turkey, Serbia, Egypt, Iran, Russia, Ukraine, Latvia, Nigeria and Armenia - had been arrested for smuggling the substances.

In other arrests, citizens of Turkey, Russia, Iran, Serbia and Latvia have been detained for illegal trafficking, purchase and possession of the batches.

The Ministry also noted an increase of 68 drug dealers arrested this year compared to the same period of 2021, with 8 kg of heroin, 8,500 pills of subutex and suboxone, 16 kg of cocaine, 6 kg of MDMA, 5 kg of alpha PVP,  4.5 kg of clephedrone and other drugs seized in operations.

Drug trafficking is punishable by 18 to 20 years in prison or life imprisonment in Georgian legislation.