Officers from the Adjara and Guria Police Departments of Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) have detained nine individuals at different times on suspicion of illegal drug purchase, possession, attempted storage, and facilitation of large-scale drug trafficking.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, both Georgian and foreign nationals are among those apprehended.

“Law enforcement officers in Adjara, during searches of the personal residences, homes, and vehicles of the suspects, uncovered a substantial quantity of various narcotics. The seized evidence included 140 packages of substances such as methadone, mephedrone, and alpha-PVP,” the ministry stated.

Additionally, materials necessary for packaging the drugs were confiscated.

“The investigation is ongoing under Articles 19-260, 260, and 260-4 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which carry penalties of up to 20 years’ imprisonment or life imprisonment,” the MIA declared.