As a result of operative-searching and investigative activities, representatives of Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia, on the fact of manufacturing forged official documents, abuse of powers, negligence and storage and sale of particularly large amount of excisable goods subject to marking, without excise marks as a group, detained five persons, two of which are - the head of the company and his employee.
Investigation determined that destruction the tobacco products withdrawn from the civil circulation was to be carried out by one of the contractor companies based on the agreement signed with the LEPL National Agency of State Property of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, in exchange for the relevant compensation.
In order to receive illegal material benefits, the head of the company together with the employee forged, created fictitious documents related to the destruction of goods, and periodically sold non-excised tobacco products, through the various citizens.
As a result of investigative activities conducted in Tbilisi, Rustavi and Gardabani, totally 5 241 boxes of non-excised, documented as destroyed, intended for sale, tobacco were seized. Market value of seized products exceeds GEL 22 000.
Investigation is underway under the Articles 200, 220, 2201 and 362 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which envisages imprisonment from 6 to 8 years.
Relevant measures are being carried out, in order to identify and expose other persons, involved in the mentioned crime.