Law enforcement officers have confiscated 31 illegal firearms following police and preventive operations carried out nationwide, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Aleksandre Darakhvelidze announced at a briefing.

According to Darakhvelidze, 39 people have been arrested.

“Officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs continue to fight crime around the clock through appropriate policing and preventive measures.

As a result of police and preventive operations conducted by law enforcement over the past two days nationwide, 31 illegal firearms, ammunition and large quantities of various types of narcotics have been seized. A total of 39 people have been arrested. These operations were conducted by law enforcement authorities in Tbilisi and across all regions of Georgia, authorised by court orders.

During searches of the detainees’ persons, residences, outbuildings, and vehicles, police recovered significant quantities of firearms and automatic weapons, grenades, cartridges, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Additionally, large amounts of various types of narcotics were also seized.

The investigation is being conducted under Articles 236, 260 and 273 of the Georgian Criminal Code, which provide for imprisonment of up to seven years,” Darakhvelidze noted.

According to him, the crime detection rate is at an unprecedentedly high level of 70 per cent, which is the result of effective policing, including preventive measures.

“We would also like to remind the public that, according to last year’s statistics, the crime detection rate is at an unprecedentedly high level of 70 per cent. It is particularly noteworthy that the number of crimes committed against life and health has been reduced. These statistics are precisely the result of effective policing and preventive measures carried out by officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. We aim to ensure a safe environment for the public, and preventive police operations in this direction will continue actively in the future,” the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs stated.