The Ministry of Internal Affairs carried out a special operation late at night in five different nightclubs in Tbilisi, resulting in the arrest of 15 individuals on charges of fraud and extortion.
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Teimuraz Kupatadze, Director of the Central Criminal Police Department, reported that foreign citizens were extorted in nightclubs.
“The detainees fraudulently extorted money from foreign citizens using psychological and various violent methods. When presenting the bill for ordered products, they would add an extra zero. For instance, if customers ordered 300 GEL worth of products, they were given a 3000 GEL bill at payment,” Kupatadze stated in an interview with the media during the special operation.
Case materials show that if guests refused to pay, nightclub employees initially applied psychological pressure and threats, followed by physical assault.
“They had an organized group operating across all five clubs. Arrests are ongoing, and new figures may be identified,” Kupatadze added.
The case is being investigated under Articles 180 and 181 of the Criminal Code, which pertain to fraud and extortion. These crimes are punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
