The special services of Kyrgyzstan, namely the State National Security Committee (GKNB), have identified and halted an operation involving the import, counterfeiting, and sale of expired products, which were passed off as "premium imported goods."
According to the agency, it was established that the company "Korzinka 312," operating in the market for over ten years and registered as a gastro-market, belongs to a citizen of Kyrgyzstan, Z.S.N., born in 1988. For the past five to six years, the company has been importing expired products purchased abroad at reduced prices.
A criminal case against "Korzinka 312" was initiated on June 10, 2025, under part 1 of article 279 and part 3 of article 379 of the Criminal Code of Kyrgyzstan.
According to the information, this individual conspired with foreign suppliers to purchase goods designated for disposal and presented them as fresh and exclusive products. These goods entered the country alongside legitimate cargo, complicating control at the import stage.
“The products were passed off as European - Italian sauces, cheeses, seafood, delicacies, and vegetable oils, but in reality, they were counterfeit, posing a threat to the health of citizens,” the statement said.
The main consumers of these goods became large markets, elite cafes, and restaurants in Bishkek, where expired products ended up on tables disguised as safe delicacies,” the press release stated.
During searches of the company's warehouses located at the addresses: Bishkek, Naberezhnaya, 16; Zhukeeva-Pudovkina, 616 (store "Korzinka"); Intergelpo, 1, significant volumes of expired and counterfeit products were found, along with equipment for re-labeling expiration dates, office equipment, and materials for falsifying labels, as well as documents indicating mass sales through retail networks and online resources.
As a result of a successful special operation by the GKNB to terminate a large-scale scheme for selling expired products, all seized products were destroyed on November 27, 2025, under the joint control of the GKNB and the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology, and Technical Supervision of Kyrgyzstan.
The destruction of expired products was carried out in compliance with all environmental safety standards, as confirmed by the agency.
After the seizure of large batches of counterfeit goods in warehouses in Bishkek, the GKNB initiated a state ecological examination.
The Ministry of Nature of the Kyrgyz Republic promptly formed an expert commission that approved the method and location for the destruction of expired goods.
“Our goal is not only to stop the crime but also to eliminate its environmental consequences. The approved method of disposal guarantees that the seized expired products will not harm the ecology of Kyrgyzstan,” the agency noted.
The method of ecological disposal includes:
* Liquid products (sauces, oils) are neutralized by alkalization and after laboratory analysis are discharged into the centralized sewage system.
* Plastic and glass containers are sent for recycling.
* Tin cans are sent for scrap metal.
* Packaging and waste that cannot be recycled are incinerated in a special furnace or buried at a specialized landfill.
The GKNB and the Ministry of Nature emphasized that “Kyrgyzstan is not a dumping ground for foreign expired goods. Attempts to pass off expired products as ‘premium’ are a crime against the health of citizens.”
“Entrepreneurs should avoid participating in gray schemes, prefer products from reliable domestic producers, and act honestly in the interests of consumers and the state. Today, behind attractive packaging may hide a real threat to life, and anyone who tries to profit from the trust of citizens will be held accountable to the full extent of the law,” the agency added.
The GKNB and the Ministry of Nature recommended:
- to check their suppliers, especially those offering “exclusive” products at low prices without a complete set of documents;
- not to purchase from intermediaries with questionable reputations;
- to prefer products from local producers operating within the law;
- to demand laboratory certificates, veterinary and phytosanitary certificates, as well as originals of import declarations.
