Three Georgian criminal bosses sentenced to 10 years by French court

A French court sentenced members of the criminal underworld, so called "thieves-in-law” Kakha Shushanashvili, Zaza Elikashvili and Giorgi Elerjia, to 10 years on June 15, Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia stated today.

Also, they have been prohibited from ever entering French territory again. 

Four Georgian criminal bosses and 34 Georgian members of criminal groups were detained in France and Greece on April 16-17 through cooperation with the Georgian Interior Ministry.

The operation named Caucase Normandie was held simultaneously in French and Greek cities to detain the suspects accused of hundreds of robberies, the possession and sale of stolen items and money laundering. 

The four criminal bosses detained are Lasha Shushanashvili, Aleksandre Kobaladze, Nodar Shukakidze and Merab Asanidze. Shukakidze and Kobaladze were detained in France, while Asanidze and Shukakidze were detained in Greece.

Georgian legislation defines a ‘thief-in-law’ as a person who manages in any form and/or organises the activities of the criminal underworld or a certain group of criminal individuals.