Georgia extradites suspect facing up to 20 years to Kazakhstan

Tengrinews.kz — Georgia has extradited to Kazakhstan a suspect accused of involvement in a drug trafficking group and laundering criminal proceeds. According to investigators, he faces up to 20 years in prison, citing the Prosecutor General’s Office.
According to the investigation, the Kazakh citizen was part of a criminal group that organized the production of psychotropic substances on an especially large scale in Almaty Region. The manufactured substances were then distributed through dead drops in Almaty Region and Almaty.
During the investigation, nearly 10 kilograms of the psychotropic substance mephedrone were seized from members of the group.

“The illegal income obtained as a result of criminal activity was laundered by the offenders through various financial transactions, including the use of crypto exchanges, totaling more than 1.8 billion tenge, as well as through the additional purchase of real estate, business facilities and vehicles worth more than 600 million tenge. These assets have been seized with a view to turning them over to the state,” the statement said.

Some members of the criminal group have already been brought to trial, and court proceedings against them are ongoing. Other defendants, including the extradited suspect, fled from the investigation and were placed on the international wanted list.
The suspect was detained in Georgia in January and has now been placed in a pre-trial detention center. For participation in an organized criminal group, illegal trafficking of psychotropic substances on an especially large scale and laundering criminal proceeds, he faces up to 20 years in prison with confiscation of property.