Following a 48-hour coordinated police operation across Tbilisi and various regions, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has arrested 119 individuals on drug-related charges, 49 of whom are suspected drug dealers.

During a press briefing at the Ministry, Vazha Siradze, Director of the Tbilisi Police Department, confirmed that the suspects include both Georgian nationals and foreign citizens.

According to Siradze, searches of the suspects’ persons, vehicles, and residences, as well as locations disclosed by them during interrogation, yielded a substantial volume of various illicit drugs and psychotropic substances. The seized evidence includes large quantities of heroin, cocaine, alpha-PVP, methadone, mephedrone, and buprenorphine, among others.

“As part of these proactive policing measures and subsequent investigative actions, officers also seized packaging materials used for distributing narcotics, cash believed to be the proceeds of drug sales, and a significant cache of firearms and ammunition,” Siradze stated.

“Acting on judicial warrants, law enforcement officers conducted multiple controlled test purchases from the suspected dealers, which were covertly recorded via audio and video. The evidence gathered through these operations firmly establishes that the detained dealers were systematically distributing narcotics to members of the public in exchange for cash,” he added.

The investigation is being conducted under Articles 260, 260(3), 260(4), 265, and 236 of the Criminal Code of Georgia. If convicted, the suspects face sentences of up to 20 years or life imprisonment.

“The policing units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs will continue their uncompromising, round-the-clock fight against organised crime, including drug offences, across the entire country. I thank every employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for their role in this highly successful operation,” Siradze concluded.