Georgia cracks down on drug trade with new anti-narcotics measures

The Georgian government has announced a comprehensive new package of measures aimed at intensifying the fight against drug-related crimes across the country.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze revealed the initiative as part of ongoing efforts to curb narcotics trafficking and consumption, Caliber.Az reports, citing Georgian media.

Earlier this year, the Georgian parliament enacted significant amendments to the Criminal and Administrative Codes, distinctly separating the issues of drug possession and drug sales while imposing harsher penalties for trafficking offences. In response to the tightened legal framework, law enforcement agencies have ramped up street-level operations, resulting in the detention of more than a thousand individuals linked to drug crimes.

Prime Minister Kobakhidze underscored the government’s uncompromising stance on combating narcotics distribution. “The authorities will be uncompromising in dealing with drug-related offences and drug dealers. We will not allow anyone to poison our fellow citizens, especially our youth. Accordingly, effective measures will be taken to suppress relevant crimes,” he affirmed.

Between the start of this initiative and June 6 this year, Georgian police detected 2,370 drug-related offences, detaining 1,712 individuals, of whom 157 were specifically apprehended for selling narcotics. Enforcement actions have continued unabated following these initial results.

A landmark seizure on June 18 further highlighted the government’s crackdown: Georgian authorities confiscated a massive consignment of 298 kilograms of heroin during a cargo inspection. The shipment, originating from Armenia en route to Europe, is estimated to have a black market value exceeding $30 million.

By Vafa Guliyeva