Georgian police on Thursday said law enforcement officers had arrested 52 individuals on drug-related charges, including 37 for drug-dealing, sale, purchase, possession and smuggling of drugs, in capital Tbilisi and other regions of the country.
Teimuraz Kupatadze, the Head of the Central Criminal Police Department, told local media the arrested individuals included women, a minor and nationals from Germany, India, Nigeria, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine.
He added the offenders had concealed the substances before communicating their positions to persons interested in purchasing the drugs.
He also said police officers had seized “especially large amounts” of substances including heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, opium, pregabalin, methadone and cannabis in their search of the individuals, their residential houses and vehicles.
The crimes are punishable by 20 years in prison or life imprisonment.