Georgian tax authorities say 15,000 tonnes of Russian fuel in Batumi not under sanctions

Russian fuel in Batumi

The Georgian Revenue Service has confirmed that Russian fuel was imported into the country by sea, but claims that neither the vessel nor the cargo is subject to international sanctions.

The information was first made public by Levan Khabeishvili, chair of the political council of the opposition United National Movement party. According to him, a tanker named CAPIBARA is currently docked at the port of Batumi, carrying 15,000 tonnes of sanctioned diesel fuel produced by Gazprom Neft. The supplier, he said, is an offshore intermediary company called BONEX.

Khabeishvili alleged that through this scheme — and with a single shipment — Bidzina Ivanishvili stands to earn at least five million lari.

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Revenue Service of Georgia comments

“On 3 August of this year, a vessel flying the Indonesian flag — CAPIBARA — entered the Port of Batumi carrying 15,000 tonnes of diesel fuel. The cargo was intended for customs clearance and had been sent by a Russian company to a Georgian company. (The agency refrains from disclosing company names or releasing information protected by tax secrecy.)

Following an inspection by the Maritime Transport Agency of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, it was confirmed that neither the vessel nor its owner is subject to international sanctions. Additionally, a review by the Revenue Service established that the cargo itself is also not under sanctions, as the price of the goods does not exceed the threshold set by existing sanctions regulations. This information is available in open sources.

Based on the above, the cargo was unloaded and cleared through customs in accordance with Georgian legislation.”

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Levan Khabeishvili responds

Levan Khabeishvili responded to the Revenue Service by publishing a document showing that the offshore company in question is purchasing fuel from the Russian company Gazprom, which is under international sanctions.

“The fuel is imported into Georgia under the name of an offshore company, but that company buys it from a Russian firm under sanctions.

If I was able to obtain this document, then of course Anri Okhanashvili (head of Georgia’s Security Service) could have accessed it just as easily. But then… who would have made five million from a single shipment?

This is criminal, corrupt, and blood-soaked money! Every single document is publicly available — and the Revenue Service itself has confirmed the corrupt, blood-stained operation led by Okhanashvili and Ivanishvili!” – Khabeishvili wrote.

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