TBILISI, September 17 – Seven people have been arrested in Georgia after investigators uncovered an underground factory churning out counterfeit booze and untaxed cigarettes, authorities said.
The Finance Ministry’s investigative service announced that officers seized a staggering 75,137 bottles of alcohol and 318,000 packs of contraband cigarettes in the raid. Officials said the haul’s black-market value could reach tens of millions of dollars, pending expert review.
According to investigators, the group had been running an illegal plant in the Shida Kartli region for years, producing knockoff versions of both Georgian and foreign brands. Cigarettes labeled “KARELIA” were also confiscated from a nearby warehouse, along with industrial machines for bottling and packaging.
The case is being pursued under articles of Georgia’s criminal code that cover large-scale illegal production and distribution. If convicted, the suspects face seven to ten years in prison.
