Police operations are underway in five nightclubs on Shardeni Street in Tbilisi. At this stage, 14 individuals have been arrested.

According to Teimuraz Kupatadze, Director of the Central Criminal Police Department, the number of detainees may increase.

Kupatadze stated that an organized group was fraudulently extorting money from foreign citizens.

“Police operations are simultaneously taking place in five nightclubs on Shardeni Street, based on a judge’s ruling. At this stage, 14 individuals have been arrested on charges of fraud and extortion, but the number of detainees is expected to increase. The investigation may reveal new suspects.

These individuals were fraudulently extorting money from foreign citizens using psychological and violent methods. When billing the customers, they would add a zero after the initial menu price. For example, a customer would receive a GEL 3,000 check for a GEL 300 product.

If they protested, the fraudulent group would extort money using violent methods. Foreign citizens often found themselves in unclear situations, frequently having to pay these amounts, and in some cases, they turned to the police for help,” Teimuraz Kupatadze said.