Four Georgians Arrested in U.S. Arms Smuggling Case

Georgian Ambassador to the United States Levan Mikeladze said in a telephone interview with the Tbilisi-based Rustavi 2 television on March 17 that four Georgians are among those suspects arrested in the United States for an alleged attempt to import arms into the U.S.

The Georgian Ambassador identified these four Georgians as Joseb Kharabadze, Nikoloz Nadirashvili, Vato Machitadze and Levan Shvelidze. The Georgian diplomat added that all of them were arrested in New York.
 
Earlier, Georgian official reported that only one Georgian citizen was arrested.

The New York Times reported quoting U.S. attorney in Manhattan David Kelley as saying that the group allegedly intended to buy weapons primarily from the Russian military, but also from sellers linked to the armed forces in Ukraine and Georgia.

Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili told reporters on March 16, while commenting on the case, that she was not aware whether the alleged smugglers intended to import arms into the U.S. directly from Georgia, or from Russia or any other country via Georgia.

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