Nine arrested for selling excise-free cigarettes in January

The Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia arrested nine individuals for illegal storage, transportation and selling of excise-free tobacco products in the country in January, the state body said on Friday.

In detailing figures related to the offences, the Service said it had seized 83,697 packages of the product from different brands, worth over ₾410,000 ($153,546) and intended for sale by the offenders.

The crime is punishable by between six and eight years in prison.