Officers from the Investigative Department of the Main Directorate of Patrol Police of Adjara under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, together with employees of the Customs Department of the Revenue Service of the Ministry of Finance, conducted operational measures and investigative actions that resulted in the detention of 6 foreign nationals for illegally crossing Georgia’s state border and smuggling migrants across the border. This information was shared by Georgia's Ministry of Internal Affairs.

“The investigation established that a citizen of the Republic of Turkey, born in 1981, identified as S.O., using his truck, along with other citizens of the Republic of Turkey: O.F., born in 2002, T.Ch., born in 1988, S.I., born in 1985, H.O., born in 1989, and A.K., born in 1987, bypassed the Sarpi border checkpoint and secretly and illegally transported migrants into Georgian territory.

All six individuals were detained on the territory of the border checkpoint.

This crime carries a penalty of 4 to 8 years of imprisonment.

The investigation is ongoing under part 2 of Article 344¹ and part 2 of Article 344 of Georgia's Criminal Code,” the statement reads.