“Last year, we intensified our efforts to combat drug trafficking, targeting both domestic distribution and transit routes. In 2025 alone, we apprehended more than 3,000 drug dealers,” Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze stated at the second meeting of the European Coalition Against Drugs (ECAD).

As PM Kobakhidze pointed out, the detection rate of drug-related crimes increased by 87% last year.

“Georgia, as many of you know, is a transit country, naturally connecting Asia with Europe. This presents a particular challenge in the context of international drug trafficking. Last year, we stepped up our efforts to tackle the issue. This applies to both domestic trafficking and transit routes. In 2025 alone, we arrested over 3,000 individuals involved in drug dealing. For a country as small as Georgia, that is a remarkably high number. Before this, the total prison population was only around 8,000. I mention this to give you an idea of the scale. Furthermore, last year we increased our detection of drug-related crimes by 87%, uncovering 144 cases of international drug trafficking; we believe this development will contribute to a decline in drug flow across Europe. For instance, last year we seized more than 900 kilograms of heroin, an unprecedented figure for Georgia.

One of our main challenges remains online sales. Tackling this issue is now our primary focus. We are fully prepared to collaborate closely with all of you, share our experiences, and learn from your approaches. We are committed to developing joint initiatives to expose drug trafficking networks and dismantle international schemes,” the Prime Minister concluded.