The Prosecutor General’s Office of Georgia on Wednesday said it had arrested an Iranian citizen for laundering “especially large amounts” of money between the years 2017-2020.
The case involved creation of an “organised criminal group” to facilitate import of a “large amount of foreign currency” into Georgia through illegal means before depositing the sums to bank accounts relate to the scheme, the body added.
Some of the money was used for purchasing real estate in the country for laundering purposes, with the total sums in the scheme including $1.1 million and ₾107,550 ($41,528) over the years.
Law enforcers seized the illicit money and three residential flats in the capital Tbilisi and the Tskneti holiday town on its outskirts, preventing the offender from facilitating a further disposal of the properties, the Office noted.
The crime is punishable by between nine and 12 years in prison, with the investigation proceeding to identify further individuals involved in the scheme.