Police arrest 14 on drug-related charges in Tbilisi, regions

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia announced on Sunday that police had arrested 14 individuals on drug-related charges following a series of coordinated operations carried out in the capital city of Tbilisi and several regions.

The arrests were conducted by officers of the Central Criminal Police Department, Patrol Police, and the police departments of Tbilisi, Racha-Lechkhumi, Kakheti, and Imereti.

The Ministry said the suspects face charges including illegal purchase and possession of large and especially large quantities of narcotic substances, facilitation of their sale, smuggling into Georgia, unlawful cultivation of drug-containing plants, and distribution of psychotropic substances. The crime is punishable by up to 20 years of imprisonment.

During searches of the detainees’ homes, personal belongings, and locations they indicated, police seized significant quantities of narcotics, including methadone, Subutex, buprenorphine, Alpha-PVP, Lyrica, dried marijuana, and cannabis plants. Investigators also confiscated packaging materials, electronic scales, and adhesive tape used for distribution.