The United States Embassy in Georgia has welcomed the arrest of several individuals by the Georgian Prosecutor’s Office, related to charges of illegally facilitating the entry of Georgian citizens into the United States and document forgery.

According to the Embassy, the successful operation is the result of several months of close cooperation between American and Georgian law enforcement agencies. The Embassy expressed gratitude to the Georgian Prosecutor’s Office and all Georgian law enforcement officers involved in the investigation.

“We welcome today’s announcement by the Prosecutor General’s Office of Georgia, about the arrest of several individuals on charges of defrauding Georgian citizens related to illegal entry to the United States and document forgery. It is the result of months of strong law enforcement cooperation between the United States and Georgia. Thank you to the POG and Georgian law enforcement officials involved in the investigation and operation,” the statement reads.

According to information provided by Tbilisi Prosecutor Giorgi Mikaia, two organized criminal groups were identified as a result of a joint operation conducted by the Georgian Prosecutor’s Office and the Regional Security Service of the U.S. Embassy.

He said that due to the tightening of U.S. immigration policy, four Georgian citizens formed an organized criminal group. Under a pre-developed scheme, they were identifying Georgian citizens seeking asylum in the United States and promising to help them build asylum cases, gather evidence, and provide court support.

Mikaia added that the identities of 366 Georgian citizens have been established, all of whom had contacted members of the criminal group in order to seek asylum in the United States.