Imedi /  22 January 2026, 12:16 / Reliable source

Georgian police detain 88 individuals on drug-related charges, seize large quantities of various narcotics

Photo: Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia

Aleksandre Darakhvelidze

Law enforcement officers have arrested 88 individuals on drug-related charges and seized exceptionally large quantities of various narcotic substances, the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs announced on Thursday at a briefing.

Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Aleksandre Darakhvelidze noted that the Ministry continues its uncompromising fight to identify individuals involved in drug-related criminal schemes and hold them criminally accountable.

“Over the past 24 hours alone, as a result of intensive police operations carried out in Tbilisi and across the regions, an unprecedented number - 88 drug dealers and individuals involved in drug-related crimes - have been detained. Particularly large quantities of various narcotic and psychotropic substances have been seized, along with firearms and automatic weapons, as well as money allegedly obtained through the illegal sale of drugs. Those detained include both Georgian citizens and foreign nationals”, the Deputy Minister said.

“Based on evidence obtained through intensive investigative actions carried out by law enforcement, it has been established that the detained drug dealers were systematically selling narcotic substances to citizens. On the basis of court warrants, police conducted controlled drug purchases, as well as searches of suspects’ persons, vehicles, and residential premises. Police seized particularly large quantities of drugs, including cocaine, heroin, alpha-PVP, buprenorphine, methadone, morphine, MDMA, and dried marijuana. Materials used for packaging narcotic substances were also confiscated as evidence”, he continued.

The offences provide for penalties of up to 20 years or life imprisonment.

The Ministry also noted that as a result of ongoing efforts to combat drug-related crime, more than 5,000 individuals have been arrested and prosecuted nationwide for drug offenses over the past seven months of 2025, including up to 2,000 persons involved in drug trafficking.

All News

Photo: Parliament of Georgia

03 April 2026, 13:20

Politics

Georgian Parliament Speaker warns against foreign interference in Georgian Orthodox Church affairs

Georgian Parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Friday stressed the importance of keeping external actors out of the Georgian Orthodox Church’s internal decisions, including those pending before the Holy Synod.

Photo: Screenshot from Video

03 April 2026, 12:23

Politics

Georgia’s ruling party official slams opposition’s Independence Day rally as “tragicomic”

Irakli Kirtskhalia, the chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party faction in the legislative body, on Thursday criticised the opposition's plans to hold a rally on Georgia’s Independence Day, labeling the move “tragicomic”.

Irakli Kirtskhalia

03 April 2026, 12:11

Politics

Global instability raises stakes for Georgia, warns Georgia’s ruling party official

Georgia is confronting the same fundamental challenges as the rest of the world - maintaining peace, ensuring economic stability, and pursuing development amid an increasingly complex geopolitical environment, said on Thursday Irakli Kirtskhalia, the chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party faction in the legislative body.

Photo: Georgian Dream

03 April 2026, 12:02

Politics

Georgia’s ruling party official accuses opposition of seeking to destabilise country

Irakli Kirtskhalia, the chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party faction in the legislative body, on Thursday accused the domestic opposition of deliberately attempting to destabilise the country, deepen internal divisions, and undermine both peace-focused policy and the national economy.

Photo: Parliament of Georgia

02 April 2026, 20:30

Politics

Georgian Parliament official: Georgian Gov’t pursues peace-focused policy amid global challenges

Davit Matikashvili, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party and chair of the Parliament’s committee on procedural issues and rules, on Thursday said that in response to the ongoing global challenges, the Georgian government was pursuing a policy strictly focused on peace.

Photo: Parliament of Georgia

02 April 2026, 19:38

Politics

Georgian Parliament official accuses NGO representatives of deliberately undermining country

Irakli Kadagishvili, the chair of the Georgian Parliament’s regional policy and self-government committee, on Thursday addressed recent statements made by domestic NGO members before the Dutch Parliament, accusing them of deliberately attempting to undermine the country.

Kakha Kaladze

02 April 2026, 15:51

Politics

Georgia’s ruling party Sec Gen reiterates Georgian Government’s readiness to reset relations with United States

Kakha Kaladze, the mayor of Tbilisi and secretary general of the ruling Georgian Dream party, on Thursday reiterated Georgian Government's readiness to reset relations with the United States, expressing optimism that the bilateral partnership will move past recent tensions.

Photo: Presidential administration

02 April 2026, 15:34

Foreign policy

Georgian President highlights commitment to EU integration, criticises Brussels bureaucracy

Georgian president Mikheil Kavelashvili on Thursday addressed the current state of relations between Georgia and the European Union, emphasising that Tbilisi has not walked away from the negotiating table.

Photo: Presidential administration

02 April 2026, 14:15

Foreign policy

Georgian President says Georgia’s role as key Middle Corridor hub gains importance in changing geopolitical landscape

Maintaining the positive momentum in bilateral cooperation between our countries significantly relies on continuing high-level meetings, said on Thursday Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili.

Mikheil Kavelashvili Peter Pellegrini

02 April 2026, 14:09

Foreign policy

Georgian President: Georgia and Slovakia share common vision based on peace, stability, protection of national interests

Georgian president Mikheil Kavelashvili on Thursday emphasised that Georgia and Slovakia were sharing a common vision based on peace, stability, and protection of national interests.

Photo: Imedi TV

02 April 2026, 13:44

Foreign policy

Slovak President says Georgia plays key role in stabilising South Caucasus region

Slovakia highly appreciates the open cooperation between Georgia and Slovakia in the United Nations and other international organisations, said on Thursday the Slovak president Peter Pellegrini.

02 April 2026, 13:33

Foreign policy

Slovakia fully respects Georgia’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, says Slovak President

Slovakia fully respects the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders, said on Thursday Slovak president Peter Pellegrini following a meeting with his Georgian counterpart Mikheil Kavelashvili.

Photo: Presidential administration

02 April 2026, 13:22

Foreign policy

Georgian, Slovak Presidents discuss successful cooperation

Successful cooperation between Georgia and Slovakia as well as the deepening of the existing dialogue between the two nations were discussed on Thursday in a face-to-face meeting between the Georgian president Mikheil Kavelashvili, who is on an official visit to Bratislava, and his Slovak counterpart Peter Pellegrini.

Thea Tsulukiani

02 April 2026, 12:20

Politics

Georgian Parliament Vice Speaker criticises media sanction as threat to freedom of expression

Thea Tsulukiani, the vice speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Wednesday criticised recent British sanctions targeting Imedi TV, describing them as a direct assault on media freedom and a repeat of historical attempts to silence the broadcaster.

Photo: Imedi TV

02 April 2026, 12:07

Politics

Georgian Parliament Vice Speaker warns against painting all MEPs with the same brush

Thea Tsulukiani, the vice speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Wednesday called for a more nuanced view of the European Parliament, stating that not all of its members should be judged uniformly, as alternative opinions are increasingly being voiced in support of Georgia’s statehood and freedom.

Thea Tsulukiani

02 April 2026, 11:18

Politics

Georgian Parliament Vice Speaker calls Rubio-Kobakhidze call “highly significant” for Georgia-US relations

Thea Tsulukiani, the vice speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Wednesday described the recent phone call between US secretary of state Marco Rubio and Georgian prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze as “highly significant”, expressing cautious optimism about the future of bilateral relations.

Photo: Imedi TV

02 April 2026, 11:08

Politics

Georgian Parliament official: Slovakia-Georgia relations showing strong positive momentum

Nikoloz Samkharadze, the chair of the foreign relations committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Thursday said that the relations between Slovakia and Georgia were experiencing a very positive dynamic, emphasising that the ongoing visit of the Georgian president to Bratislava served as a clear reflection of this growing cooperation.

Photo: National Food Agency

01 April 2026, 20:48

Society

“Beyond all moral boundaries”: Georgia’s National Food Agency slams false allegations of burning stray animals

The National Food Agency of Georgia (NFA) on Wednesday issued a stern response to recent allegations regarding the mistreatment of stray animals, describing claims of burning live animals as “completely groundless” and a deliberate attempt to mislead the public.

Photo: Presidential administration

01 April 2026, 18:38

Politics

Georgian President departs for official visit to Slovakia

Georgian president Mikheil Kavelashvili has departed on an official visit to Slovakia, where he will hold high-level meetings with Slovak leadership in Bratislava.

Levan Machavariani

01 April 2026, 17:03

Politics

Georgian Parliament official: Georgia ready to outline joint roadmap with US at any time

Levan Machavariani, the first deputy chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party faction in the legislative body, on Wednesday reviewed the prospects of rebooting Georgia-United States relations.