59 illegal migrants detained in Georgia: Uzbek citizens among them

The detainees are citizens of Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Kenya, Turkey, Russia, India, Egypt, Ghana, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Sudan, Cameroon, and China. Migration Department officers inspected a number of addresses and facilities where foreigners might be staying as part of special immigration control measures.

During the inspection, it was determined that 59 people were living in Georgia in violation of the requirements of the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens and Stateless Persons.

"They have been placed in the temporary detention center of the Migration Department. Appropriate procedures for the expulsion of the foreigners from Georgia are currently underway," the statement said.

The exact number of Uzbek citizens, their age, gender, and other personal details have not been disclosed. According to the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs, 160 special immigration control operations have been carried out since the amendments to migration legislation came into force. A total of about 18,000 foreigners were checked, and 1,000 identified illegal migrants were expelled from the country.

On September 8, another 61 foreigners were expelled from Georgia. Among them were also citizens of Uzbekistan. Since the beginning of the year, the number of foreigners deported from the country has reached nearly 3,000. In May, it was also reported that 45 illegal migrants were detained and expelled from Georgia.