21 arrested in Georgia over prostitution offences

Police in Georgia have arrested 21 people and sealed 11 establishments in a crackdown on alleged prostitution offences, the Interior Ministry said on Thursday.

The arrests were carried out in Tbilisi, Imereti and Kvemo Kartli as part of a joint operation by the Interior Ministry’s Central Criminal Police Department and the Prosecutor General’s Office.

Grigol Gogochashvili, head of the Central Criminal Police Department’s division for combating trafficking and illegal migration, said the suspects were managers and administrators of various establishments who allegedly systematically facilitated prostitution.

The suspects provided premises to women involved in prostitution in exchange for payment and also helped them find clients.

Investigators alleged that the administrators received a large share of the money earned by the women from sexual services, while proceeds from facilitating prostitution accounted for most of the establishments’ income.

The ministry said evidence was obtained through covert investigative measures, including audio and video recordings.