Illegal firearms seizure peaks in past two months
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Georgia is intensifying its fight against illegal firearms and encouraging citizens to hand over arms voluntarily after Georgian police seized "especially large amount” of illegal weapons in the past two months.
Latest statistics revealed 47 people were arrested in Georgia for illegal purchase, possession and carrying of firearms in October and November this year.
In these two months 50 firearms were seized, namely 31 pistols, 10 automatic weapons, three revolvers, three rifles and three sawed-off guns, two hand grenades and 1,016 bullets for various types of arms.
"One of the main priorities for the Ministry of Internal Affairs is the fight against illegal circulation of firearms, which in turn, is the precondition for prevention of more serious crimes,” the country’s Interior Ministry said.
The Agency also reminded society that according to Georgian law, those who hand over arms voluntarily will be free from legal responsibility.
The Ministry’s statement came after an intoxicated Tbilisi father went to his child’s kindergarten and threatened the child’s groupmates with a gun earlier this week. Reportedly, he then gave the gun to his child and told him to shoot any kid who annoyed him.
The same day the man was arrested for threatening another person, and illegal purchase, possession and carrying a firearm.
Georgia’s law enforcers found and seized an extremely large amount of ammunition, military weapons and explosive materials from several locations in Georgia, including the capital. All explosives, weapons and ammunition were in working condition. The arms were discovered buried in the woods near Gori town and Norio village, (32km from Tbilisi) in eastern Georgia.
Tbilisi City Court has sent the leader of neo-fascist organisation Georgian National Unity Giorgi Chelidze to pretrial detention today, while his attorneys have demanded his release on bail at 1000 GEL (388.797 USD).
Two employees of the Georgian Ministry of Defence and one other individual have been detained today by the military police for the illegal possession and sale of cartridges.
The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs has seized illegal firearms and ammunition in the western Georgian region of Samegrelo. An individual identified as G.K., born in 1985, has been detained for the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. If convicted, he will face 3-6 years imprisonment.
A Turkish citizen has been detained in Tbilisi who tried to transfer firearms components bought in the US to Turkey via Georgia, the Georgian Interior Ministry says.
Police have seized illegal firearms and ammunition in Tbilisi and in the western Georgian city of Kutaisi today, detaining three individuals for the illegal purchase and possession of firearms, reports the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The crime is punishable by three to seven years in prison.