Police arrest over 10 individuals on drug violations across Georgia

Georgian police on Tuesday said law enforcement officers had arrested more than 10 individuals, including a Ukrainian citizen, on drug-related charges in ongoing operations across the country.

The release detailed violations by individuals and organised groups involved in offences, and came with a wider update that said law enforcement officers had arrested 41 persons on the charge over a recent period.

Among the most recent cases, Central Criminal Police Department Head Teimuraz Kupatadze cited offences by a Ukrainian citizen who he said had placed a “large amount” of drugs at nine locations in the yard of the Svetitskhoveli cathedral, an 11th century UNESCO World Heritage Site in Mtskheta, near capital Tbilisi, before selling them through “various internet applications”.

Kupatadze also noted other cases involving an organised group and three arrests, with the operation ongoing in Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Rustavi and other locations across the country.

He also said the 41 individuals arrested with related charges over the recent period included citizens of Georgia, Egypt, Iran, Nigeria, Russia, Ukraine and Yemen, with 32 charged specifically with drug-dealing.

The Department Head said police officers had seized “various kinds” of “especially large amounts” of substances including heroin, cocaine, alpha PVP and marijuana as part of their efforts.