Russian Peacekeepers Accused of Smuggling in Abkhazia, S.Ossetia

Georgian Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili said that in a two separate operations the Georgian police seized a large number of smuggled goods in the Abkhaz and South Ossetian conflict zones on August 12. He said that in the both cases the vehicles carrying contraband were accompanied by Russian peacekeepers deployed in the zones.

?A [Russian peacekeepers’] vehicle carrying smuggled goods was seized at the Enguri bridge [administrative border between breakaway Abkhazia and rest of Georgia] by Georgian Interior Ministry officers. After [the seizure] the Russian peacekeepers called for reinforcements and two infantry combat vehicles appeared on the scene. They started intimidating the Georgian law enforcers and wanted to take back the smuggled goods. As a result, the rapid reaction force of the Interior Ministry was promptly sent [to the scene], where it surrounded the Russian peacekeepers? unit, forcing it to retreat,? Vano Merabishvili said at a news conference in Tbilisi on August 12. He said that the smuggled goods included 13,000 packs of cigarettes, as well as dozens of bottles of alcohol.

?In another incident, the Georgian police detained a car at the Tkviavi [Georgian village in the South Ossetian conflict zone] checkpoint, carrying 12 boxes of smuggled cigarettes and 2 tons of diesel fuel. This car was also accompanied by Russian peacekeepers,? the Georgian Interior Minister added.

He called on the Russian authorities and the command of the Russian peacekeeping troops ?to control servicemen? in the conflict zones and prevent their participation in smuggling.

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