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Day: September 17, 2025
Georgian authorities have arrested seven people after seizing an “unprecedented” amount of counterfeit alcoholic beverages and excisable cigarettes without excise stamps. Several media reports said a Georgian Dream member and affiliated businessmen were among those detained.
Finance Ministry Statement
The Finance Ministry’s Investigative Service said it confiscated 75,137 bottles of alcoholic drinks and 318,000 packs of cigarettes lacking excise stamps.
“The investigation determined that for many years the accused owned an illegal factory for manufacturing alcoholic beverages in the Shida Kartli region, where illegal bottling and sale of various Georgian and foreign brands was carried out in a handicraft manner,” Ia Akhalaia, deputy head of the Investigative Service, said at a briefing on September 17.
According to her, the seized counterfeit stock included bottles labeled as Beluga, Belvedere, Grey Goose, Borkan whiskey, and Chivas Regal, along with a “large number” of bottles, corks, labels, and packaging materials. She said the investigators also discovered tanks containing about 24 tons of alcohol-based liquid used in production.
The ministry also said investigators further seized 318,000 packs of Karelia cigarettes from a warehouse near the factory, as well as technical equipment for packaging and producing cigarettes.
The goods could be worth tens of millions of GEL, pending expert examination, Akhalaia said.
“We continue to carry out operative and investigative activities to expose other individuals involved in the organized criminal activity,” she added.
The probe is ongoing under Article 196(3) of Georgia’s Criminal Code, covering the unlawful use of trademarks or commercial designations, and Article 200(4), dealing with the production and sale of counterfeit excise stamps. The charges carry prison sentences of seven to ten years.
Who Are The Detainees?
While the ministry has not named the detainees, regional news outlet Mozaika identified several of those arrested, citing multiple sources. They include Boris Gogichaishvili, a Georgian Dream member of the Gori City Council; businessman Giorgi Kandelaki; and Kartlos Jalabadze, the brother of businessman Giorgi Jalabadze.
Boris Gogichaishvili, a former Soviet-era judo athlete, has served as a Georgian Dream deputy in the Gori City Council since 2021 and previously donated GEL 100,000 (about USD 37,000) to the ruling party in 2019, according to media reports. He is reportedly the owner of the factory that has illegally manufactured alcohol.
Giorgi Kandelaki, a businessman and a former world champion boxer, was also named among detainees by pro-government TV Imedi. He reportedly has notable ties to the ruling Georgian Dream party. Ahead of the 2024 general elections, he founded the “Unity for Peace” movement, which pledged to “expose the destructive actions of radicals” and “protect national values.” The launch was covered by pro-Kremlin TV Sezoni – where he reportedly owns all the shares – which quoted him as saying, “Bidzina Ivanishvili has sacrificed himself, his family, and everything he has [for Georgia], therefore we friends together decided to stand by our country and Mr. Bidzina Ivanishvili.” In 2018, Kandelaki donated GEL 100,000 to Georgian Dream.
Kartlos Jalabadze, the brother of local businessman Giorgi Jalabadze, is also reportedly Giorgi Kandelaki’s business partner. The two jointly own a construction company that sold a building to the government in 2019 for GEL 2.5 million to house internally displaced persons.
GD Members in Hot Water
The arrest comes amid the Georgian Dream government’s declared “uncompromised” fight against crime, with priorities set on drugs, corruption, organized crime, and illegal firearms. It also follows a string of arrests and prosecutions of former GD members, business associates, and allies.
On September 17, authorities also arrested former Georgian Dream MP and Olympic judo champion Zurab Zviadauri for illegally possessing a gun.
On September 16, prosecutors arrested one person over laundering an “unprecedented” nearly USD 700 million between 2022 and 2024, without disclosing the suspect’s name.
On September 11, the State Security Service of Georgia announced the arrest of former Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze on abuse of office and money laundering charges. He was remanded in custody.
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