As a result of intensive police operations conducted throughout the country, officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs brought 63 individuals associated with the “criminal world” to criminal justice – 49 of them were arrested, and 14 individuals indicted in absentia, including 5 “thieves in law”, - the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Aleksandre Darakhvelidze said at the briefing.

“They are charged with “membership of a criminal world,” “participation in a criminal gathering,” “support for the activities of a criminal world,” being a “thief in law” and “appeal to a member of a criminal world.” The majority of those arrested have been convicted of various severe and especially grave crimes in the past.

Officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs conducted the aforementioned police operation based on a the Court decision.

The evidence obtained as a result of secret investigative actions carried out by law enforcement officers over the past few months, based on a judge’s ruling, established that the defendants were in contact with so-called thieves in law, residing abroad, carried out tasks under their instructions and actively participated in the activities of the “thieves’ world”.

It is also established that with the participation of the defendants and the disputing parties, so-called criminal skirmishes were organized in Georgia and abroad at various times, in which “thieves in law” residing abroad were involved.

The defendants, in accordance with the so-called thieves’ traditions, made decisions at the meetings, imposing a certain amount of money on one of the disputing parties to be payed to the other, as well as on their own behalf, within a specified period of time. Considering the fact that they ignored their instructions, they were verbally and physically abused and threatened to kill family members of the affected parties.

As a result of the personal search of the defendants and other search activities held in their residential homes, the police seized computer equipment and mobile phones as evidence, through which they communicated with each other and with “thieves in law” abroad. In addition to the mentioned, firearms were seized as a result of the search activities.

The investigation is underway under Articles 223 (I), 223 (II), 223 (III) and 223 (IV) of the Criminal Code of Georgia, envisaging the imprisonment for a term of up to 15 years.

One of the main priorities of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia is a systematic and uncompromised fight against organized crime, including criminal activity related to the so-called “thieves’ world”. Once again, we would like to note that any individual committing a criminal act will be punished to the full extent of the law. Our main goal is to ensure the safety of society at a highest level and protect each citizen of Georgia!” Darakhvelidze said. 0