Car Full of Arms Detained

(Tbilisi, June 18, Civil Georgia) – A car full of arms was detained yearly this morning. Two persons were carrying 9 rockets and 2 grenade launchers from Tskhinvali (capital of breakaway South Ossetia) presumably to Pankisi gorge.

A crime case is initiated in the Military Prosecutor’s office concerning the fact. Both suspected are arrested.

One of them is Simon Mchedlidze, Major of the State Security Ministry. Identity of the second person is now named yet.

“It is not excluded that the case of illegally transporting weapons may be related to the Russian soldiers having escaped from the peacekeepers’ check point located in South Ossetian conflict zone”, Military Prosecutor’s Office reports.

Georgian State Security Minister Valeri Khaburdzania stated he will investigate how Simon Mchedlidze, Major of the State Security Ministry, suspected in illegal arms dealing, could become the Ministry’ staff member.

“It is very important to find out who gave Mchedlidze recommendation necessary to start working in the Security Ministry,” Valeri Khaburdzania said at the news briefing today.

Major Mchedlidze started to work in the State Security Ministry in March, 2002. Before he was the employee of the Defense Ministry of Georgia.