A 53-year-old Russian citizen has been detained at the Georgian-Turkish border for attempting to smuggle firearms.

The incident took place at the Sarpi border crossing, where customs officers used a special scanner to inspect a vehicle, The Caspian Post reports, citing Georgia's Interior Ministry.

During the search, they uncovered a concealed cache containing 13 pistols of various types and nine magazines.

Authorities have launched a criminal investigation into the illegal import of a large quantity of firearms. Under Georgian law, the offense is punishable by up to nine years in prison.