Authorities send to court companies and individuals involved in 3.6 million lei wine smuggling scheme
Four companies from the Republic of Moldova and six individuals were sued for allegedly smuggling wine into the United States. They claimed that the wine, made from pomegranate juice, was sourced from Armenia, despite it actually being exported from Moldova. The value of the smuggled wine was over 3.6 million lei.
According to the Prosecutor's Office for Combating Organised Crime and Special Cases (PCCOCS), the alleged offenses occurred between 2021 and 2023.
The six individuals, aged between 33 and 60, are founders, administrators, or employees of the companies involved. They are accused of orchestrating a scheme that deceived U.S. buyers into purchasing tens of thousands of bottles of wine exported from the Republic of Moldova.
The wines were falsely marketed as being produced in Armenia from "100% pure pomegranate juice," and some batches were incorrectly labeled as semi-sweet wine from Georgia.
As part of the scheme, the companies divided their tasks, which included designing and printing fake labels, manufacturing boxes, and purchasing stoppers, thermocapsules, and decorative bags—such as velvet bags—to package the bottles in a way that made the products appear authentic and sourced from different countries.
If convicted, those involved could face sentences ranging from four to ten years in prison.
Additionally, the four companies may be subject to fines of up to 600,000 lei and could be banned from continuing their operations.
