As a result of operative-searching and investigative activities carried out in coordination with Kvemo Kartli Regional Prosecutor's Office, Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia detained two citizens of Georgia on the fact of manufacturing and using a large amount of counterfeited excise marks by a group with a preliminary agreement, as well as on the fact of manufacturing counterfeit ed goods hazardous to human life and health.

Investigation determined that the accused persons were manufacturing various branded alcoholic beverages at the office of "Algani Security Company" LLC located at 6 Meskhishvili Street in Rustavi, as well as printing counterfeited excise marks with which they were labeling aforementioned alcoholic beverages. Counterfeited products were sold at retail stores and food restaurants in Kvemo Kartli.

As a result of the search of the office, car parked nearby and commercial facilities, a total of 204 bottles of counterfeited alcoholic beverages of various brands, including “Stolichnaya”, “Nemiroff”, “Black Sea”, “Filandia”, “Talka”, “Koskenkorva Vodka”, “Parliament” and “Gray Goose” had been seized, as well as 402 empty bottles prepared for bottling, materials necessary for bottling and manufacturing alcohol and 1053 counterfeit excise marks, with computer equipment in which counterfeited excise mark files were electronically stored.

Case is being investigated under part 2 of Article 200¹ and part 3 of Article 197 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which provides imprisonment from 5 to 7 years.

Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance is continuously conducting investigative activities to remove counterfeited alcoholic beverages from retail stores.