Police Chief Arrested for Alleged Smuggling Charges

Beso Giorgashvili, the Chief of police of Kareli, a town in the Shida Kartli region, which borders breakaway South Ossetia, was arrested for alleged links with smuggling in the region.

Interior Ministry officials say that Giorgashvili is suspected of patronizing smuggling. These accusations were denied by the lawyers of Giorgashvili.

The arrest follows a statement by President Mikheil Saakashvili on March 11, wherein the President said that although smuggling from breakaway South Ossetia has been significantly reduced, it still persists.

?We know the names of the smugglers and all of them will be strictly punished,? he said.