List of crimes related to criminal bosses expanded

The Georgian Interior Ministry has stated that the list of crimes in the criminal code related to so-called criminal bosses and their activities has expanded.

The ministry stated that through their initiative the criminal code now considers the following activities criminal offences:

Participating in criminal assemblies called for by criminal bosses.

Support of activities of criminal bosses.

Appeals to criminal bosses “to establish the truth” in certain disputes between individuals.

Earlier, being a criminal boss and having membership in a criminal group was punishable by the Georgian criminal code.

The ministry announced that a couple of days ago four individuals were detained for appealing to a criminal boss and for the support of the institute of criminal bosses.  The articles for such crimes equal 3-15 years in prison.

The ministry also announced that two Georgian criminal bosses were detained in Spain last week.

Criminal boss, or thief-in-law, refers to a criminal who is respected, has authority and a high ranking status within the criminal underworld in the former Soviet Union.