In a statement issued on July 14 the Georgian Border Guard Department reiterated that the Georgian coast guard will seize those vessels which conduct shipment of cargo in breakaway Abkhazia without prior notification of the Georgian officials.
Georgia announced last August that it has closed down the Abkhaz section of its maritime border in an attempt to prevent smuggling. The Georgian coast guard has seized several vessels, mainly Turkish, en route to Abkhazia, since that announcement.
A recent incident occurred on July 3 when a Turkish vessel loaded with construction materials and wheat was seized by the Georgian side. Later the goods were handed over to the Abkhaz side, while the Turkish crew of the vessel still remain under arrest for illegally crossing a state border.
The Abkhaz side condemned the incident as an attempt to thwart talks over the reopening of the Abkhaz section of the railway.
The statement by the Georgian Border Guard Department reads that illegal movement of ships in Abkhazia ?increases the possibility of arms and drug trafficking, as well as the possibility of movement of terrorists.?
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