Central Criminal Police arrests 30 for drug crimes, including 25 for drug trafficking

The Georgian Interior Ministry on Wednesday said officers from its Central Criminal Department had arrested 30 individuals for drug crimes, including 25 for drug trafficking.

The body noted the officers seized “large and particularly large” amounts of narcotics from the group involving Georgian and foreign citizens, some with past criminal records.

The offenders have been charged with illegal sale, attempted illegal sale, illegal purchase and storage of drugs and marijuana.

The arrests came following a judges’ ruling allowing controlled purchase of drugs from the alleged offenders by the officers, and covert audio and video recording.

The Ministry said substances recovered from the arrested individuals’ houses, during their personal search and from spots referred by the offenders included MDMA, amphetamine, methamphetamine, heroin, buprenorphine, methadone, ketamine, tramadol, mephedrone, alpha PVP and marijuana.

Electronic scales and a “large amount of money” allegedly obtained from sale of the drugs were also seized.

The crimes are punishable up to 20 years in prison or life imprisonment.