As a result of police operations conducted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs [MIA] in Tbilisi and the regions of the country over the past 48 hours, 119 people have been arrested on drug-related charges, including 49 drug dealers. Tbilisi Police Department Director, Vazha Siradze, said this at today’s briefing.

"Among the detainees are both Georgian and foreign citizens. During the personal search and other search activities held in vehicles and residential buildings of the persons arrested on charges of drug-related crimes, law enforcement officers also seized a particularly large amount of various types of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances from the places indicated by them as evidence, including: heroin, cocaine, alpha-PVP, methadone, mephedrone, buprenorphine and others.

As part of police-preventive measures, and investigative actions, materials necessary for packaging narcotic drugs were also seized, as well as money presumably received as a result of the sale of narcotics, a large amount of firearms and ammunition.

Based on the judge’s ruling, law enforcement officers carried out several controlled purchases of narcotics from the persons arrested on charges of illegal drug trafficking and secretly recorded the aforementioned purchases. Based on the evidence obtained as a result of investigative actions, it is established that the arrested drug dealers systematically sold drugs to citizens on the regular basis in exchange for a certain amount of cash.

The investigation is underway under Articles 260, 260-3, 260-4, 265 and 236 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, envisioning the imprisonment for up to 20 years or life imprisonment. Police units of the throughout the country continue their uncompromising fight against organized crime, including drug crime, in a continuous regime.

I would like to thank each employee of the MIA for the successfully conducted police operation", - said Vazha Siradze.