Three Armenians held at Upper Lars as 64 g hashish found in bus
Georgian customs officers at the Kazbegi crossing found 64 grams of hashish, along with cocaine, in a Russia-to-Armenia bus and three Armenian citizens were detained. The Interior Ministry opened a transit-smuggling case carrying six to nine years in prison while the other passengers were questioned.
Georgian officers detained three Armenian citizens at the Zemo Larsi (Upper
Lars) checkpoint on the Georgian-Russian border.[1]Those detained were the
bus driver and two more passengers, according to the Armenian embassy in
Georgia.[2]All other passengers on the bus were being questioned as part of
the preliminary investigation.[1]
Customs officers at the Kazbegi crossing inspected a passenger bus crossing the
Georgian-Russian border after becoming suspicious of the vehicle.[2]The
search found 149 grams of cocaine and 64 grams of hashish in the bus.[2]The
bus, driven by an Armenian citizen, was travelling from Russia to Armenia in
transit through Georgia.[1]
The case was handed to the Kazbegi criminal police of the Interior Ministry for
further action.[2]The Interior Ministry opened a criminal case on unlawful
import, export or transit of narcotics, which carries six to nine years in
prison.[2]The Armenian embassy said all passengers were provided with food
and basic necessities while diplomats worked to speed their return to Armenia.[2]
Case data
Every number and detail the sources state, with the sources that state it.
Arrested
3
Cannabis
64 g
Agencies
Revenue Service of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia; Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia
Agency type
Customs, Police
Cannabis
Hashish (64 g)
Activity
Smuggling
Setting
Vehicle, Land border
Charge
unlawful import, export or transit of narcotics
Case stage
Under investigation
Region
Mtskheta-Mtianeti
Route
Russia → Armenia via Kazbegi - Upper Lars
Date
Publication date
Sources
1TV1tv.geRUArchived copyАрмянские СМИ пишут о задержании в Грузии граждан Армении по обвинению в наркопреступлении - 1TV
Грузия Onlineapsny.geRUГраждане Армении задержаны с наркотиками на грузино-российской границе
Open questions the AI reported
No exact hashish weight beyond 64 grams and no laboratory confirmation were reported.
Only the publication date of 24 November 2019 is known; it stands in for the incident date, although one related account dates the incident to the previous day.
No names, charges for specific detainees, or court outcome were reported.
Georgia's Central Criminal Police detained seven Georgian and foreign nationals in Tbilisi on charges of large-scale drug acquisition, storage and facilitation of sale. Searches recovered dried marijuana and THC alongside synthetic drugs, with the charges carrying up to 20 years in prison or life imprisonment.
Police in Georgia detained two people in separate operations, including a controlled delivery of a parcel from abroad that held about 200 THC capsules. The second detention at Tbilisi airport involved methadone and buprenorphine, with both cases investigated as especially large-scale import punishable by up to life imprisonment.
Police detained a foreign truck driver at the Lagodekhi border crossing after finding nearly 12 kilograms of marijuana hidden in the cab. The suspect faces illegal purchase, possession and import charges that carry up to 20 years or life imprisonment.
Georgia's Central Criminal Police detained seven Georgian and foreign nationals on drug charges, seizing up to 4 kg of marijuana and 21 cannabis plants alongside other drugs. The investigation under articles carrying up to life imprisonment was still under way with no court outcome reported.