3 persons arrested for creating and organizing appropriate conditions for illegal stay of Georgian citizens in a foreign country

As a result of the complex operational measures and investigative actions carried out by the employees of the main division of the fight against organized crime and the division of the fight against trafficking and illegal migration of the Central Criminal Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in cooperation with the Prosecutor's Office and the U.S. Embassy Diplomatic Security Service Overseas Criminal Investigations office, 3 persons were arrested in Tbilisi and Kutaisi.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the persons are accused of repeatedly creating and organizing appropriate conditions for the illegal stay of a Georgian citizen in a foreign country.

The crime is punishable by up to 6 years of imprisonment.

"The investigation established that the accused N.V. created a tourist company that organized the illegal travel of Georgian citizens to the United States of America and their stay there. N.D. and N.B. were employed in the said company.

The investigation also established that the defendants, in exchange for a certain amount of money, prepared appropriate documents for those wishing to go to the United States of America, after which they transported them through different countries to the border of the United States of America, from where Georgian citizens illegally crossed to the United States of America.

As part of the investigation ongoing into the case, based on the judge's ruling, the law enforcement officers made a secret audio-video recording, as a result of which the illegal actions committed by the detainees were proved.

Based on the judge's decision, the police, as a result of the search conducted in the work offices of the defendants, seized cash, documents, computer equipment and mobile phones as evidence.

The investigation is being conducted under Article 344 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which pertains to the creation and organization of appropriate conditions for the illegal stay of a Georgian citizen in a foreign country with prior knowledge," reads the information released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.