Georgian police arrest nine in drug trafficking cases, seize large quantities of narcotics

Georgian police on Wednesday arrested nine individuals on drug-related charges in separate operations, seizing particularly large quantities of various narcotic substances.

Officers of the Central Criminal Police Department detained the suspects on charges including the illegal purchase and possession of particularly large quantities of drugs, as well as facilitating their sale.

The detainees include both Georgian and foreign nationals. The investigation found the suspects had been involved in criminal drug trafficking schemes.

According to the Ministry, the suspects used various internet applications and social media platforms to conceal narcotics at designated locations for later collection, before sending potential buyers the coordinates and identifying photographs of the drop-off points.

During searches of the suspects and their residences, as well as through investigative experiments, law enforcement officers seized particularly large quantities of narcotics intended for sale from locations identified by the suspects. The substances included cocaine, methadone, so-called “bio” drugs and marijuana.

Police also confiscated materials used for packaging narcotics, along with cash allegedly obtained through drug sales. The investigation is being conducted under several articles of the Criminal Code of Georgia, with offences punishable by up to 20 years or life imprisonment.