Three managers of Batumi Oil Terminal, accused of misappropriating over 10,000 tons of undeclared crude oil worth more than GEL 15 million, have been released on bail, the Prosecutor’s Office confirmed. Details on the bail amount paid by the Kazakh citizens have not yet been disclosed.
The suspects, all citizens of Kazakhstan, were detained on December 3 over allegations of forming an organized group to illegally handle crude oil in violation of customs regulations. According to the Ministry of Finance’s Investigative Service, the managers secretly disposed of the oil in the terminal’s tanks, bypassing customs procedures.
The case falls under Parts 2 and 6 of Article 214 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which carries a prison sentence of 11 to 15 years. Despite the allegations, the oil terminal continues to operate.
Batumi Oil Terminal, which owns Batumi Port, has been managed by the Kazakh state oil company KazTransOil since 2006. The company holds a 49-year license to operate the port and terminal and is run by Kazakh management.
