Investigation Service exposes individual for smuggling a substantial quantity of pharmaceuticals across the customs border

The Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia, in coordination with the Customs Department of the Revenue Service, have exposed a foreign national for illegally smuggling a particularly large quantity of pharmaceuticals across the state border.

Following an intelligence-led operation, border control officers at the Sadakhlo customs checkpoint intercepted an Armenian national attempting to evade customs inspections. A search of the suspect’s car revealed a specially constructed compartment hidden inside the vehicle’s natural gas tank in the boot, which contained an assortment of commercial medicines.

The seized medicines have been valued at GEL 44,892 for customs purposes. An investigation has been launched under Article 214, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of Georgia (violation of customs procedures involving large-scale goods). If convicted, the suspect faces between five and seven years’ imprisonment.