The Georgian police arrested 34 people on the charges of "membership of the so-called thief community, supporting its activities and contacting a member of the thief community within the framework of five criminal investigations," Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Alexander Darakhvelidze announced during a briefing.
Of them, 7 were charged in absentia, two more are in prison, and five are abroad. Arrests were made simultaneously in Tbilisi, Kakheti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti and throughout the country.
Those arrested face up to 15 years in prison.
During a special operation conducted within the framework of one of the criminal cases in the village of Kabali, Lagodekhi region, the accused Mirza Aliyev, who is apparently an Azerbaijani by nationality, opened fire on law enforcement officers who were carrying out the operation to arrest him.
As a result, one of the special forces soldiers received a serious chest wound. Aliyev was killed on the spot during the return fire.
According to the investigation, those arrested, who were connected to the so-called "world of thieves", were engaged in solving financial disputes between individuals, maintaining contact with "thieves in law" abroad and carrying out their orders.
It was also found that the accused participated in the organization of so-called "robbery gatherings" in which money was demanded from their "trapped" people under threats. Among others, criminal authority Elmuraz Mamedov, who is also an Azerbaijani, participated in the criminal activity.
As a result of the searches, the accused's computer equipment and mobile phones were seized, which they used to communicate with each other and with "thieves in law" abroad. Drugs, firearms and large sums of money were also confiscated.
Within the framework of the same operation, the Tbilisi police arrested Davit Chubinidze, the head of the security service of businessman Davit Mikadze. Mikadze is wanted and will be charged in absentia. The investigation revealed that in September 2021, Davit Chubinidze and Davit Mikadze conspired to acquire five firearms registered in the name of Vakhtang Kobiashvili, one of which was illegally used against a third person.
Mikadze is wanted in the case of the ordered murder of businessman Levan Dzhangveladze. Gela Udzilauri was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.
"The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia will continue the uncompromising fight against organized crime and, despite any resistance, will ensure that crime in our country reaches the historically lowest level," stated Darakhvelidze.
