Three arrested in Batumi on child trafficking charges for forcing their own children to beg

Officers from the Central Criminal Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), in coordination with the General Prosecutor’s Office, have arrested three individuals on child trafficking charges following a series of judicially sanctioned police operations. The arrests were announced during a press briefing held by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA).

Officials at the briefing confirmed that the suspects include both Georgian and foreign nationals.

“Evidence gathered by law enforcement in this criminal case establishes that the defendants, driven by financial gain, devised a trafficking scheme that weaponised their own underage children,” an MIA spokesperson stated during the briefing.

“The investigation reveals that the suspects used psychological abuse to force their minor children to beg and sell flowers in tourist hotspots and other busy areas across Batumi. The investigation also established that the defendants misappropriated all funds collected by the children. As part of the investigation, law enforcement officers secured a wealth of corroborating evidence through covert operations authorised by court warrants,” officials stated.

The Ministry assured the public that the children are now safe:

“At this stage, the young victims have been placed into state care facilities, and there is no threat to their health or well-being. The investigation is being conducted under Parts 2 and 3 of Article 143 (Secunda) of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which carries a prison sentence of up to 17 years. The Ministry of Internal Affairs remains relentlessly committed to executing robust policing and preventative measures against all forms of crime, particularly organised crime,” the MIA officials stated.