Authorities Charge Organized Crime Network With Links to Fugitive Crime Bosses
By Messenger Staff
Thursday, May 14, 2026
Georgian authorities have charged seven additional individuals in connection with an organized crime network linked to so-called "thieves-in-law," including two crime bosses currently abroad who were charged in absentia, the Central Criminal Police Department announced.
According to department director David Kiknadze, the accused organized criminal gatherings and issued rulings on financial and criminal disputes between citizens, imposing payments on involved parties and threatening physical violence or murder against those who missed deadlines.
Investigators also found that group members drove through Tbilisi districts targeting individuals and forcing them to activate loans through internet banking, transferring funds to accounts controlled by the group. The accused also regularly fed information to foreign-based crime bosses about Tbilisi residents who could be targeted for extortion.
The detainees had contacts with "thieves-in-law" Levan Marghia and Nodar Shukakidze, who made decisions on disputes for personal gain in line with what authorities described as "thieves' rules."
Searches yielded mobile phones, computer equipment used to communicate with the foreign-based crime bosses, and firearms. The investigation is ongoing under several articles of Georgia's Criminal Code carrying penalties of up to 15 years in prison.
