As a result of operative-searching and investigative activities, representatives of Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia, brought to the criminal liability five persons on the facts of manufacturing and using forged tax documents as a group, damaging property by deceit, negligence and moving particularly large amount of movable goods across the customs border of Georgia, as an organized group.

Investigation determined, that the accused, on behalf of the companies under their management, issued forged tax invoices amongst each other, as if they conducted grain purchasing and selling operations, thus unjustifiably created a false VAT asset of GEL 150 961, which was later used to cover current taxes.

At the same time, during the period of August-October 2022, the accused, in order to receive illegal material benefits, on behalf of two companies, by entering false data in the customs declarations, brought into the territory of Georgia a particularly large amount – 476 347 kilograms of undeclared goods with the customs value of GEL 447 742.

As a result of the criminal activity, the state budget suffered a damage totally GEL 231 000 approximately.

At this stage, the party paid GEL 170 000 to the state budget to compensate the damage.

Relevant measures are being carried out in order to identify and expose other persons involved in the mentioned crime and to ensure full compensation for the damage caused to the state budget.

Investigation is being continued under the Articles 210, 185, 2201 and 214 of the Criminal code of Georgia, which envisages imprisonment from 11 to 15 years.