Prosecutor's Office Charges 50 People with "Legal Theft", Membership in "Thieves' Underworld", Support for "Thieves' Underworld" Activities and Appeals to "Thieves' Underworld"

The Prosecutor's Office of Georgia has charged 50 people with "Legal Theft", Membership in "Thieves' Underworld", Support for "Thieves' Underworld" Activities and Appeals to "Thieves' Underworld".

The Prosecutor's Office of Georgia has released information.

"The investigation conducted by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia established that members of the "Thieves' Underworld", along with persons accused of supporting the activities of the "Thieves' Underworld", recognized the "Thieves' Underworld" and actively participated in its activities. They had systematic connections with the so-called "Thieves' Underworld" and other members of the "Thieves' Underworld". Also, members of the “thieves’ world”, in order to establish and spread their own criminal influence, obtain material benefits, and establish power, systematically organized “thieves’ disputes” based on the appeals of the disputing parties and discussed various types of disputes between the parties. In case of non-compliance with their decisions, they threatened the parties with death and harm to their health.

Law enforcement officers detained 44 people, and 6 people were charged in absentia.

The defendants were charged under Article 223 Prima, Part 2 ('legal theft'), Article 223 Prima, Part 1 ('membership of a 'thieves' world'), Article 223 Tertia, Part 2 ('supporting the activities of a 'thieves' world'), Article 223 Quarta, Part 1 ('appealing to a thief in law/member of a 'thieves' world') of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which provides for up to 15 years of imprisonment as a form and measure of punishment. The Prosecutor's Office will apply to the court within the time limit established by law with a motion to impose imprisonment on the defendants as a preventive measure. In view of their cooperation with the investigation, it is requesting bail for one of the defendants as a preventive measure," the information states.