The Financial Monitoring Agency (FMA) has cracked down on the illegal production of surrogate alcohol using counterfeit excise stamps in the Akmola Region.
According to the agency's press service, 6 individuals led by a resident of Stepnogorsk were trading this alcohol product in the Akmola and North Kazakhstan Regions.
“More than 20,000 bottles of finished product and more than 100,000 empty bottles, an alcohol-containing liquid, alcohol, and counterfeit excise stamps were seized.”, the FMA statement said.
It is reported that during the period of criminal activity, the cash turnover exceeded 350 million tenge.
In the end, the court brought the defendants to criminal responsibility, including for the legalisation of property obtained by criminal means. A total of 4.6 million tenge was confiscated to the state revenue.
Recall that earlier the specialised administrative court of Taraz ordered the confiscation of alcohol products worth 110.2 million tenge from ASCO Pro LLP. However, the former head of the enterprise decided to keep the confiscated goods for himself.
In the end, the Court No. 2 of Taraz found the former company head guilty and sentenced him to 1 year and 3 months in prison, with a ban from holding leadership positions in organisations of any form of ownership for 4 years.