TBILISI, September 18 – A defendant in Georgia’s high-profile illegal alcohol case has rejected the charges, with his lawyer insisting he has no connection to the factory or property at the center of the investigation.
The attorney told Interpressnews that the allegations are based on “incorrect information” and that his client runs a legitimate business unrelated to the alleged underground alcohol plant. He argued that claims of factories, land plots and large facilities linked to his client are “false” and that the charges have “no basis in reality.”
According to investigators, seven people were detained after authorities seized more than 75,000 bottles of alcoholic beverages and 318,000 packs of untaxed cigarettes in Georgia’s Shida Kartli region. Police say the goods were produced and stored at an illegal plant operating for years.
The Finance Ministry’s investigative service says the suspects face charges under Georgia’s criminal code that carry 7 to 10 years in prison if convicted.
The defense team maintains that the indictment is vague and that the defendant has “zero connection” to the property. They added that case materials have not yet been shared in full and called for an “objective investigation.”
The defendant is currently being held in pre-trial detention in Kutaisi, while Tbilisi City Court is expected to decide soon whether to impose formal pre-trial measures.
Authorities say the seized goods included counterfeit versions of both Georgian and foreign alcohol brands. The stash of 318,000 cigarette packs carried the Greek brand name Karelia.
