Georgia detains four foreigners over illegal border crossing from Armenia

In Georgia, four foreign nationals were detained at the “Sadakhlo” section of the Red Bridge border checkpoint for illegally crossing the Georgian state border.

According to the Border Police, the investigation determined that the accused bypassed the border checkpoint and crossed the Georgian state border from the Republic of Armenia into Georgia illegally as a group, Caliber.Az reports via Georgian media.

An investigation is underway under Article 344, Part 2, Subparagraph ‘a’ of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which provides for a penalty of up to five years in prison.

The Sadakhlo–Bagratashen border crossing is the busiest official land crossing between Georgia and Armenia, serving as a key transit point on the main Tbilisi–Yerevan highway used for trade, tourism, and cultural exchange.

Georgia’s border regime requires all foreign nationals to cross at designated checkpoints; entering or exiting outside these points—especially via “green borders” or unofficial routes—can lead to serious criminal charges under Article 344 of the Georgian Criminal Code.

While Sadakhlo is the main hub, there are several other international crossings between Georgia and Armenia (e.g., Gogavan–Guguti, Bavra–Ninotsminda), though Sadakhlo remains the primary 24‑hour route for most international traffic.

By Jeyhun Aghazada