The turnover from drug sales on online platforms in Georgia exceeds eight thousand dollars a day. This is stated in a report by the Caucasus Research Resource Center (CRRC), which studied the online markets for illegal drugs in Georgia.
The document presents the results of a six-month study of one of the cryptocurrencies used for the anonymous circulation of drugs in Georgia and the CIS countries.
Over 194 days, the revenue from the sale of 16 types of unique substances amounted to around $1.6 million.
According to the study, in Tbilisi, Batumi, and Kutaisi, substances worth approximately $35,000 are deposited in secure hiding places every day. For comparison, the total revenue surpasses the combined total of Spain and Belgium.
The study also notes that the average daily turnover in February decreased almost by half due to the spread of Covid-19. For comparison, the baseline daily turnover before the crisis was $15,000, and between March and August, it dropped to $7,500.
The majority of sales involve marijuana, cocaine, and MDMA. The share of marijuana in the total sales volume accounts for 56 percent.
It should be noted that the study does not include data on the illegal drug trade on other platforms, including messengers.
