Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Regional Police of the MIA have arrested four people in suspicion of money extortion.
According to the investigation, Shota Japaridze, Davit Japaridze, who was the head of the culture department of the Mestia municipal government, chief engineer of the Energo-Pro-Georgia JSC Mestia Branch Tariel Japaridze and the member of the Mestia Sakrebulo (local government) Neli Naveriani extorted 70,000 GEL from a Canadian investor, who was carrying out rehabilitation works of the Mestia Tourist Base. The suspects threatened the investor to obstruct to the reconstruction of the object unless he paid the aforementioned sum.
The police found the extorted money with the suspects during the detention.