Police have detained one individual for the purchase, possession and sale of drugs in the Ponichala district of capital city of Tbilisi, 'the same individual who sold heroin to TV Pirveli cameramen Lekso Lashkarava' on July 10, a few days later after he was beaten severely at the July 5 Tbilisi pride counter rally.
Police report that during the search of the apartment of the detainee, law enforcers seized a large amount of drugs prepared for sale.
The crime is punishable by eight to 20 years in prison or life imprisonment.
Lashkarava was one of the 53 media representatives who were attacked by right-wing groups during the Tbilisi Pride counter rally on June 5 and received a concussion, facial bone fractures and multiple bruises. He underwent treatment at home after medical surgery.
Lashkarava passed away on July 11. Police took his body for an autopsy to define the exact reason for his death.
The same day the Georgian Interior Ministry named drug overdose as a possible reason for the death of Lashkarava.
Head of the Central Criminal Police Mamuka Tchelidze told journalists on July 11 that Lashkarava he had driven a moped to several locations in Tbilisi on July 10, including Ponichala, which is a district know for drug dealing on the outskirts of Tbilisi.
During the protest rally yesterday three media outlets, TV Pirveli, Mtavari Arkhi TV and Formula TV, said that the interior ministry story about the possible reason for Lashkarava's death has been deliberately faked to mislead the people.
Police also report that recently they have detained 20 drug dealers and eight other individuals for the illegal purchase and possession of a total of over one kg of heroin and 129 pills of Subutex in Ponichala.