Georgian authorities detain 45 foreign nationals in illegal migration crackdown

Georgia’s Interior Ministry has said 45 foreign nationals were detained during special immigration control operations carried out across the country as part of efforts to combat illegal migration.

The operations were conducted by officers from the Migration Department and targeted specific locations and various types of facilities in order to identify foreign citizens residing in Georgia without legal grounds.

The detainees include citizens of Kenya, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Algeria, Thailand, Uganda, India, Bangladesh, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Sudan.

The Interior Ministry said the individuals were found to be in violation of the Georgian law on the legal status of foreigners and stateless persons.

Those detained have been transferred to the Migration Department’s temporary accommodation centre, while procedures are under way for their expulsion from the country.