German police raid Georgia-linked gang suspected of multiple thefts

About 200 German police officers took part in raids on a suspected Georgian criminal gang on Tuesday in three regions.

Six properties were searched and 12 people were detained in the state of Baden-Württemberg in the south-west, as well as in the cities of Hamburg and Berlin.

The focus of the operation was the city of Reutlingen in Baden-Württemberg, according to a statement from the police.

Three detainees currently face formal charges: two men and a woman aged between 27 and 54.

The Georgian nationals are said to have formed a gang to receive goods stolen by other Georgians in Germany, and to then transport them to Italy and Georgia.

The formal investigation into the suspected formation of a criminal organization was started in August 2022 after several shoplifting incidents across Bavaria.