Two arrested at Tbilisi airport for attempting to smuggle narcotics into Georgia

Georgian police have arrested two previously convicted individuals for attempting to smuggle illegal drugs into the country through Tbilisi International Airport, the Ministry of Internal Affairs announced on Friday.

The suspects, both born in 1972 and identified as L.A. and G.Ch., were detained by officers from the Central Criminal Police Department's Anti-Drug Trafficking Division following a complex set of operational and investigative measures.

L.A. was found in possession of a quantity of narcotics hidden in a small handbag, while G.Ch. had concealed 336 tablets of the drug Subutex inside his body, the MIA said. 

The suspects had entered Georgia from a European country via Tbilisi airport.

Both men have been formally charged. The charges fall under Articles 260 and 262 of the Georgian Criminal Code, which pertain to the illegal purchase, possession, and importation of narcotics. If convicted, they face up to 20 years or life imprisonment.