Georgian police have dismantled an underground drug laboratory, seized a large quantity of illegal narcotics, and arrested four suspects in a major anti-drug operation.

Officers from the Central Criminal Police Department uncovered the clandestine laboratory, where investigators say the suspects were manufacturing drugs for distribution using chemical substances and precursor materials, The Caspian Post reports via the Georgian Interior Ministry.

During searches of the suspects' homes, vehicles, and other locations linked to the investigation, law enforcement officers confiscated large amounts of narcotics that were prepared for sale.

The seizure included 41 liters of liquid containing alpha-PVP, approximately 5 kilograms of mephedrone, 5 liters of liquid containing mephedrone, and nearly 2 kilograms of alpha-PVP.

Police also recovered drug-packaging materials and cash believed to be proceeds from drug trafficking.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs said the investigation is ongoing as the police work to identify and apprehend other individuals connected to the criminal network.

Under Georgia's Criminal Code, the offenses under investigation carry penalties of up to 20 years in prison or life imprisonment.