Three Kazakhstani Nationals Arrested in Georgia Over Alleged 10,000-Ton Oil Theft

cover Photo: Pixabay, illustrative purposes

Three Kazakh nationals working at the Batumi Oil Terminal have been arrested in Georgia. They are suspected of secretly selling more than 10,000 tons of duty-free oil, Orda.kz reports.

According to the Georgian outlet Buziness Media, senior managers at Batumi Oil Terminal allegedly organized a customs-evasion scheme.

They sold crude stored in the terminal's tanks, bypassing official procedures. According to the Finance Ministry's investigation, this involved oil worth over 15 million lari. To conceal the shortfall, they poured contaminated and unusable waste into the tanks. This allowed them to disguise the actual volume of illegally sold oil.

The investigation is ongoing. Authorities are working to identify additional participants in the scheme and calculate the budgetary damage.

The case falls under serious articles of the Georgian Criminal Code. The detainees face between 11 and 15 years in prison.

Original Author: Zarina Fayzulina

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