"As a result of joint operative-investigative activities carried out by the State Security Service and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, citizens of Turkey have been detained in Batumi", - InterPressNews has been notified by the State Security Service of Georgia.

According to the released statement, during the house-search of the individuals in question, four fire-arms were seized.

"As a result of operative-searching activities, it had been planned to carry out simultaneous activities on two addresses in order to reveal and arrest citizens of the Republic of Turkey illegally residing in Georgia.

As a result of carried out activities, 9 citizens of the Republic of Turkey have been detained, who are not detected in terms of crossing of the state border of Georgia and are illegally residing in Georgia: 4 fire-arms have been seized as a result of search conducted in the apartments.

Counterintelligence Department of the State Security Service carries out an investigation into the case according to the article 344, paragraph 1 and article 236 of the Criminal Code of Georgia which envisage illegal crossing of the state border of Georgia and illegal purchase, storage, carrying, manufacturing, transportation, forwarding or sale of firearms, ammunition, explosives or explosive devices", - it is said in the statement.