Employees of the Trafficking and Illegal Migration Combating Department of the Organized Crime Countering Main Division of the Central Criminal Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in cooperation with the Prosecutor General's Office, detained L.Kh., born in 1997, on charges of trafficking a minor, providing premises for prostitution, and facilitating prostitution.

According to the information released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the crime carries a penalty of up to 12 years' imprisonment.

"The investigation established that the accused, with prior awareness and for the purpose of sexual exploitation, recruited a minor girl, whom he employed in one of the massage salons under his ownership. Specifically, at the accused's direction, the minor provided sexual services to clients entering the salon in exchange for a certain monetary compensation. The evidence obtained during the investigation also indicates that the minor paid half of the income earned through this method to L.Kh.

Law enforcement officers detained L.Kh. as the accused. The investigation is being conducted under Part 1 of Article 254, Part 2 of Article 254, and Part 1 of Article 143 Secunda of the Criminal Code of Georgia," the statement reads.