The Department of the Financial Monitoring Agency (FMA) for the Zhambyl Region is conducting an investigation into the management of "BM" LLP and other affiliated companies. They are suspected of forming a criminal group and engaging in illegal entrepreneurship in the production and sale of excisable goods.
According to the FMA press service, under the leadership of Sultan Makhmadov, who was previously convicted in 2010 for similar crimes, a large-scale production of ethyl alcohol without a licence was established in the region. To conceal the illegal activity, the suspects presented the production as the manufacture of bioethanol and feed additives.
In reality, a clandestine distillery was operating on the enterprise's premises, equipped with everything necessary for the industrial-scale production of ethyl alcohol.
It has been reported that the organisers created a sales network covering the Zhambyl and East Kazakhstan Regions, as well as Shymkent.
"In these illegal operations, surrogate alcoholic products were made from the incoming alcohol, posing a serious threat to the life and health of consumers," the statement said.
During the investigative measures, law enforcement officers seized 122 thousand litres of ethyl alcohol worth over 280 million tenge. Additionally, 18 units of mining equipment were found at the production base.
Furthermore, 7 vehicles belonging to the suspects were seized for potential confiscation. By court order, the alleged organiser of the group was placed in custody for two months.
It will be recalled that in January, the FMA department for Shymkent uncovered a scheme to launder money from the clandestine production of surrogate alcohol. During searches, more than 9 thousand litres of ethyl alcohol, 24 thousand counterfeit excise stamps, finished alcohol products, and 75 million tenge were seized from the suspects. The criminal income from the underground workshop's activities was estimated at over 309 million tenge.