Interior Ministry Says 'Unregistered' Firearms Found in Zugdidi

Interior Ministry said that unregistered firearms and ammunition were found in headquarters of a regional branch of its Department of Constitutional Security (DCS) in Zugidid, a town close to the Abkhaz administrative border in Samegrelo region.

Interior Ministry said in a statement released late on November 26, that unregistered four assault riffles, one submachine gun and 900 rounds of ammunition were found.

The ministry has claimed that firearms and ammunition were stored by a former senior official of Abkhaz Autonomous Republic's DCS Roman Shamatava.

Shamatava is currently at large and wanted by the police, the Interior Ministry said.

In March, 2012 one of the leaders of the Georgian Dream coalition, Irakli Alasania, who is now Defense Minister, , accused President Saakashvili of forming paramilitary groups in Samegrelo region. At the time Alasania claimed that Bacho Akhalaia, then defense minister, was in charge of creation of these armed groups. Roman Shamatava was named by Alasania among those persons who allegedly were also involved in creation of these groups; at the time these allegation were denied  by the authorities as "irresponsible foolishness."

It was not clear from the Interior Ministry's November 26 statement whether reported discovery of "unregistered firearms" was related or not to Alasania's allegations voiced eight months ago.

Civil Georgia