During the years following independence from the USSR in 1991, Georgiadeveloped into a weak state, which saw a high degree of collusion betweenorganized crime and state institutions. Considerable networks were established,consisting of criminal groups and paramilitaries in Georgia and thesecessionist regions, with external links to actors in the North and SouthCaucasus. State actors such as police and customs authorities were to alarge extent involved in smuggling and other illegal activities. These networkswere protected by high officials in the Georgian government and thede facto authorities of the secessionist regions. Hence, a situation evolvedwhere criminal elements were to a large extent integrated with the Georgianpolitical system and where criminal activities brought significant revenuesfor political actors on the Georgian side, while they were a vital part of theeconomies of the secessionist regions.