Investigators from the Financial Investigation Service of Georgia’s Ministry of Finance have arrested the director of LLC “Batono” on charges of manufacturing and distributing counterfeit food products, posing a serious risk to human life and health.

According to the agency, the investigation found that the accused, under a state tender contract concluded in 2025, supplied 24,177.3 kilograms of canned fish, valued at 380,792 lari, to the Border Police and LLC State Food Supply. The products in question were intended for the canteen provision of staff at Georgia’s Ministries of Internal Affairs and Defence.

“In the course of investigative proceedings, including a search of the premises, 17,241 units of counterfeit tinned fish were seized. It was further established that the conditions under which the products were manufactured and raw materials stored were critically non-compliant with food safety requirements.

Chemical and microbiological analyses conducted on the seized products have determined that the tinned fish does not meet microbiological standards and is unsuitable for human consumption. On several occasions, testing could not be completed at all, as the products posed a direct threat to the health and safety of the experts themselves due to their high toxicity.

It was additionally found that the contents of the tins, in terms of both the proportion of fish meat and their calorific value, did not correspond to the information stated on the labels.

The case is currently under investigation pursuant to Part 3 of Article 197 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which carries a custodial sentence of between five and seven years.

The Financial Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance is continuing active investigative operations aimed at identifying and seizing products that pose a threat to human life and health,” the agency stated.