Georgian law enforcement officers have detained 21 individuals and sealed 11 venues on charges of facilitating prostitution and providing premises for sex work. Grigol Gogochashvili, Head of the Main Division for Combating Human Trafficking and Illegal Migration of the Central Criminal Police Department, announced at a dedicated briefing that police operations were carried out across Tbilisi, Imereti, and Kvemo Kartli.
«Based on evidence obtained through covert investigative activities in the criminal case, including audio and video recordings, it was established that the detained individuals, who worked as managers and administrators of various establishments, systematically assisted women involved in prostitution in conducting these activities. Specifically, for a monetary fee, they allocated rooms to them at the facilities under their control.
The investigation also determined that venue administrators assisted individuals involved in prostitution in soliciting clients. In return, they appropriated the majority of the money earned by the women for providing sexual services», Gogochashvili stated.
According to him, investigators established that the primary revenue stream for the establishments in question consisted of funds generated through facilitating prostitution.
«During searches across multiple sites, law enforcement officers seized cash obtained through illegal activities».
The investigation is being conducted under Article 254 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which penalizes the facilitation of prostitution and the provision of premises for prostitution.
