Officers from its Central Criminal Department had arrested 30 individuals for drug crimes, including 25 for drug trafficking.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the officers seized “large and particularly large” amounts of narcotics from the group involving Georgian and foreign citizens, some with past criminal records.

The offenders have been charged with illegal sale, attempted illegal sale, illegal purchase and storage of drugs and marijuana. The crimes are punishable up to 20 years in prison or life imprisonment.

The arrests came following a judges’ ruling allowing controlled purchase of drugs from the alleged offenders by the officers, and covert audio and video recording.

Substances recovered from the arrested individuals’ houses, during their personal search and from spots referred by the offenders included MDMA, amphetamine, methamphetamine, heroin, buprenorphine, methadone, ketamine, tramadol, mephedrone, alpha PVP and marijuana.

Electronic scales and a “large amount of money” allegedly obtained from sale of the drugs were also seized.