The Prosecution Service of Georgia has initiated criminal prosecution against the former Deputy Head of the Revenue Service on charges of abuse of official authority.

According to the investigation conducted by the Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance, Vladimer Khundadze personally knew Boris Gogichaishvili, who, together with accomplices, was unlawfully producing and storing alcoholic beverages - whiskey and vodka - in the city of Gori, using the trademarks of foreign brands without authorization.

To ensure the safe import of various materials necessary for the illegal production of these alcoholic beverages into Georgia, Boris Gogichaishvili sought assistance from Vladimer Khundadze, whose official duties included oversight and supervision of customs procedures. Khundadze consistently provided Gogichaishvili with guidance regarding the timing of imports and customs clearance, as well as instructions on how to declare the goods in order to avoid any complications during the customs process. As a result, in the first half of 2025, Boris Gogichaishvili successfully imported, without obstruction, the materials required for the bootlegging of alcoholic beverages - including glass bottles with special packaging, labels, caps, and other components.

Furthermore, Vladimer Khundadze was fully aware of the criminal activities being carried out by Boris Gogichaishvili and his associates, yet failed to take any official action or report the serious offense to the relevant authorities.

Khundadze has been formally charged in absentia with abuse of official authority.

The Prosecution Service will file a motion with the court within the statutory timeframe seeking pre-trial detention as a measure of constraint.

The public is reminded that in connection with this case, on September 16 of this year, the investigation uncovered a facility in Gori equipped for illicit production, where over 75,000 bottles of alcoholic beverages bearing counterfeit trademarks of various foreign brands were seized, with an estimated total value exceeding several million GEL.

Criminal prosecution have already been initiated against seven individuals in relation to the same case.