Armenian bus driver detained in Georgia released, passenger arrested
An Armenian driver of a Moscow-Yerevan passenger bus, detained by Georgian authorities on suspicion of transporting a ‘banned item’, has been released.
In a statement released on Thursday, the Armenian Embassy in Georgia said another passenger has been detained and charged as part of a probe into the same case.
The embassy is in constant contact with Georgian law-enforcement authorities and will issue more statements on the matter soon.
As Gruzia Online reported earlier, the bus was stopped by Georgia’s customs officers after crossing the Upper Lars checkpoint from Russia on 24 June, with over 50 Armenian passengers left stuck on the border for hours and transported to Armenia on a backup bus on the next day.
The bus was denied entry to Georgia after officers discovered around 500 grams of narcotics hidden in a hoverboard.
The 42-year-old Armenian passenger charged with drug smuggling is facing up to 9 years in prison if found guilty.