Briefing of the Deputy Director of the Central Criminal Police Department - Irakli Dondoladze
We would like to provide the public with information about the police measures taken across Georgia over the last 24 hours. As a result of operational measures and investigative actions carried out together with Turkish colleagues, officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia have detained 12 individuals wanted by Turkish law enforcement bodies. All of them are citizens of the Republic of Turkey.
The arrested persons have been wanted internationally by Turkish police based on Red Notices issued by Interpol over the past 5 years.
The investigation established that 8 of the 12 detained persons entered the territory of Georgia before an international search warrant was issued for them while 4 individuals entered Georgia illegally, on the basis of which relevant criminal proceedings are ongoing.
Among the detainees are persons accused of committing grave and especially grave crimes, namely: premeditated murder (including the murder of a minor child) committed under aggravating circumstances, attempted murder, robbery, illegal deprivation of freedom, intentional serious injury to health, creation and membership in an organized criminal group, extortion, theft, illegal purchase, storage and carrying of firearms, drug crimes, document forgery, investment fraud and 178 episodes of embezzlement.
In addition, during a personal search of one of the detainees by law enforcement officers, firearms and ammunition were seized as evidence which the Turkish citizen was illegally storing,
It is noteworthy that the operation to locate and detain the wanted persons was preceded by lengthy operational and search activities, in the planning of which, along with the employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, the Prosecutor General's Office and the State Security Service, the Interpol Bureau of the Republic of Turkey, the units of the Turkish National Police for Combating Organized Crime, and the attaches of the Police and Gendarmerie of the Republic of Turkey in Georgia were also involved.
Currently, pre-extradition procedures are ongoing against all twelve detainees as provided by law.
We would also like to thank our Turkish colleagues who are with us today. We have many years of experience in close cooperation, a clear example of which is another successful joint policing operation.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia continues its uncompromising fight against organized crime to ensure the safety of each of our citizens.
