Georgia: The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia has charged three individuals with group-committed forgery, sale of goods marked with others’ trademarks, and manufacture and sale of a large amount of counterfeit excise stamps.
An investigation conducted by the Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia established that from October 2025 to January 16, 2026.
In the office of LLC “Algani” in Rustavi, the defendants manufactured 1,284 counterfeit excise stamps and 210 bottles of counterfeit vodka of various brands worth 6,241 GEL, marked with someone else’s trademark, for further sale.
The defendants opened part of the above-mentioned products, 126 bottles of counterfeit vodka worth 3,478 GEL, in various commercial facilities, which were seized. In addition, as a result of a search of LLC “Algani” office and one of the defendants’ vehicles, 84 bottles of counterfeit vodka of various brands worth 2,766 GEL, prepared for sale, were also seized.
Law enforcement officers arrested two defendants on January 16. The detainees and another defendant were charged under Article 196, Part 3, Subparagraph “c” of the Criminal Code of Georgia (manufacturing and introducing into civil circulation goods marked with another person’s trademark in large quantities, which caused significant damage, committed by a group by prior agreement), Article 197, Part 3 (falsification, that is, changing the quality of a thing by deception, committed with intent, which may pose a threat to human life or health) and Article 2001, Part 2, Subparagraphs “b” and “c” (manufacturing and issuing of fake excise stamps, committed by a group of persons in large quantities by prior agreement), which provides for imprisonment for a term of up to 5 and 7 years.
The Prosecutor’s Office will apply to the court within the time limit established by law with a request to impose a preventive measure on the defendants. The investigation into the criminal case continues.
