Turkish ship detained in Georgian Poti

Georgia detained a Turkish ship on suspicion of smuggling goods from the separatist Black Sea province of Abkhazia.

According to Coast Guard officials, Georgian authorities had tracked the Kumkale as it carried loads including scrap metal, timber and cigarettes from Abkhazian ports including Sukhumi without making required stops in the port of Poti, which is under central Georgian control, for customs officials to check the cargoes.

"If it is a humanitarian shipment, there are no problems," Tsintsadze said. "But if it's contraband goods, weapons and so forth, then naturally no one will allow it."

The Turkish ship was stopped Saturday when it brought a cargo into Poti, the AP reports.