Following coordinated operational and investigative efforts with the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia, the Investigative Service of the Ministry of Finance has apprehended eight individuals suspected of defrauding the state of GEL 3,926,261.

The investigation uncovered that members of an organised criminal group devised a sophisticated scheme, establishing dozens of companies, including LLC “Namora 2021”, LLC “Tbilisi Kera”, LLC “Olympus 1988”, LLC “Ramina 22”, LLC “Namora”, LLC “Kubiki”, LLC “Randa 2023”, LLC “Zaza 2022”, and LLC “Evi 2022”.

It has been established that, between 2021 and 2024, these companies facilitated the transportation of approximately 130,000 cubic metres of timber, valued at around GEL 102 million, from Svaneti to various regions across Georgia, subsequently selling the wood.

During these transactions, members of the group caused significant damage to the state budget by submitting false data in VAT declarations, thereby deceiving the authorities and unlawfully depriving the state of funds.

The investigation is currently proceeding under Articles 210, Part 2; 205¹, Part 3; and 185, Part 3 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which prescribe prison sentences ranging from four to seven years.

The Investigative Service of the Ministry of Finance continues intensive efforts to identify other individuals involved in organised criminal activities. Legal measures are being taken to recover the damages inflicted on the state budget, and it is anticipated that the total loss may increase as the investigation progresses.