Turkish national detained in Georgia for smuggling gold worth over half a million GEL

A Turkish citizen has been detained at Georgia’s Sarpi border crossing after allegedly attempting to smuggle more than three kilograms of gold jewellery into the country, authorities confirmed on Tuesday.

The Investigation Service of Georgia’s Ministry of Finance said on Tuesday the suspect tried to bypass customs regulations by concealing the gold in a specially constructed hiding compartment inside the cabin of a passenger bus under his control.

According to officials, the contraband included 3,197.18 grams of gold jewellery, with an estimated customs value of ₾546,129.52. 

The operation was conducted jointly by the Investigation Service and the Customs Department of the Revenue Service, following what authorities described as “complex operational-search and investigative actions.”

The case is being investigated under Part 2 of Article 214 of Georgia’s Criminal Code, which covers violations of customs regulations involving particularly large quantities of goods. If convicted, the individual faces a prison sentence of five to seven years.