Georgian police have arrested 62 people on charges of drug-related crimes.

"The Ministry of Internal Affairs, as a result of operational measures and investigative actions conducted across the country, arrested 62 people on charges of drug-related crimes, including 46 drug dealers.

Drug dealers were arrested in different cities of the country, such as - Batumi, Zugdidi, Kutaisi, Ozurgeti, Gori, Marneuli and Rustavi, as well as in different districts of Tbilisi, including Fonichala settlement.On the charges of illegal selling and the attempted selling of drugs in especially large and large quantities, as well as for the preparation of the mentioned crime.

The detainees are as follows: Jordanian citizens - S.A. (DoB 1974) and M.I. (DoB 1983); Citizen of Latvia - G.G. (DoB 1998); Citizens of Georgia: G.K. (DoB 1980), S.K. (DoB 1977), S.M. (DoB 1972), Z.B. (DoB 1989), V.K. (DoB 1979), previously convicted for drug crimes - Z.I. (DoB 1971), T.I. (DoB 1984), M.U., (DoB 1981), previously convicted for various crimes - I.K. (DoB 1986), G.K., (DoB 1979), N.Ts. (DoB 1982) and previously convicted G.J. born in the same year, previously convicted N.J. (DoB 1972) previously convicted A.K. (DoB 1981), previously convicted G.K (DoB 1969), previously convicted K.Ts. (DoB 1977), S.B. (DoB 1994), A.Kh (DoB 1971), L.O. (DoB 1995) L.G (DoB 1976), I.F (DoB 1994), L. L. (DoB 1998), M.B. (DoB 1998), S.B. (DoB 1979), K.B. (DoB 1976), K.L. (DoB 2001), M.B. (DoB 1988), M.Z. (DoB 1997), N.S. (DoB 2004), S.M. (DoB 2003), L.Kh. (DoB 2002), previously convicted D.T. (DoB 1982), N.G. (DoB 2003), T.Ch. (DoB 2004), previously convicted A.K. (DoB1973), A.L. (DoB 2002), several times convicted in past M.S (DoB 1976), previously convicted V.D. (DoB 1987), A.B. (DoB 1990), previously convicted K.J. (DoB 1978) , Kh.K., (DoB 1974), K.B. (DoB 1970) and L.K. (DoB 1983)," the director of the Central Criminal Police Department, Teimuraz Kupatadze said at a briefing on Tuesday.

According to him, on the basis of the relevant court decision, the law enforcement officers conducted control purchases of drugs several times from persons arrested on the charge of illegal selling of drugs and performed secret audio-video recording of the mentioned process. From the locations indicated by the detainees, as well as during the personal search and search activities held in their vehicles, residential houses and apartments, large and especially large quantities of narcotic drugs prepared for sale were seized as evidence, namely: "Heroin", "Cocaine", "Alpha PVP", "Buprenorphine", "Ecstasy”, “Methadone”, “Ketamine”, “Lyrica”, “Opium” and “Marijuana”.

"The crimes committed by the defendants envision up to 20 years or lifetime imprisonment.As for the facts of illegal import of narcotics into the country, the police arrested up to 20 foreign citizens. On the charges of illegal import of drugs on the territory of Georgia, police detained Citizens of Turkey, Serbia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Russia, Ukraine, Egypt, Latvia, Nigeria and Armenia.On the charges of illegal purchase and storage of drugs in especially large and large quantities and illegal import of drugs on the territory of Georgia, the following foreign citizens were arrested: Turkish citizen B.T. (DoB 1987), Russian citizen N.N. (DoB 1991), Latvian citizen R.K. (DoB1989), citizen of Iran R.S. (DoB 1980), as well as citizens of the Republic of Serbia: D.I. (DoB 1990) and M.M. (DoB 2001), citizen of Armenia H.P. (DoB 1984), citizen of Nigeria D.E. (DoB1987), as well as Georgian citizens: S.A. (DoB 1993), L.T. (DoB 1985), M.K. (DoB 1976), T.R. (DoB 1976), D.D. (DoB 1980), A.M. (DoB 1983), Z.J. (DoB 1962) and previously convicted N.G. (DoB 1988).One of the main priorities for the Ministry of Internal Affairs is the effective fight against drug-related crime and the implementation of legal measures against drug dealers. In 2022, 204 drug dealers were arrested in total across the country.This year, the Ministry of Internal Affairs arrested 68 more drug dealers on charges of drug trafficking than last year.In total, throughout the year, the police seized from illegal circulation: 8 kilograms of "heroin", 8,500 pills of "Subutex" and "Suboxin", 16 kilograms of "cocaine", 6 kilograms of "MDMA", 5 kilograms of "Alpha PVP", 4.5 kilogram of "clephedron" and other drugs as well.The police will continue to implement operative-investigative measures defined by the law, in order to identify and arrest drug dealers, as well as continue active operative-investigative activities against the illegal import and distribution of drugs in the country," he said.