The Bulgarian authorities have charged five individuals on suspicion of exporting military goods to Russia valued at more than €2 million in breach of the EU’s sanctions.
The goods are said to be optical sights, binoculars, aeronautical radio communication systems, ballistic calculators and software.
In total 12 people were arrested, but so far only 5 have been charged.
It has been reported today that the German authorities in Bavaria have conducted raids on multiple properties belonging to a designated person.
While the German authorities have not stated the identity of the designated person, press reporting has stated the person is Alisher Usmanov.
It has been reported today that the FCA is currently investigating Revolut for permitting transactions valued at £1.7 million in breach of the UK’s sanctions between July and August this year.
Revolut has stated in response that it reported the transactions to the FCA and that the value is £500,000.
As part of the ongoing reporting of an investigation into the sale of a tugboat from Finland to Russia in breach of EU sanctions, it was reported today that the Finnish authorities are have been undertaking over 600 investigations into potential sanctions breaches since February 2022.
Sixty of these are said to be “aggravated” indicating that they are of a more serious, or high value, nature.
The Dutch have announced that the Public Prosecution Service is currently undertaking 55 criminal investigations into suspected breaches of Russian and Belarusian sanctions.
Little information on the breaches is available, but the authorities have stated that roughly two thirds relate to breaches of trade sanctions, and one third to financial sanctions.
As of December the number was at 27, meaning 28 have been added during 2023 to date.
It has been reported today that the German authorities have confirmed the commencement of an investigation following press reporting regarding whether German companies which attended a trade fair in Iran had done so in breach of EU sanctions.
It has been reported in a country-specific report on Sweden by the Royal United Services Institute that the Swedish customs authorities charged and prosecuted a company for Russian trade sanctions offences, but were unable to secure a conviction.
No further details were provided.
The Latvian State Security Service (VDD) has announced that it has forwarded a case to the Prosecution Service for the initiation of criminal proceedings relating to the export of luxury goods to Russian in breach of EU sanctions.
The luxury good in question was a car.
In another announcement today, the VDD has announced the referral of another case for prosecution relating to the import of iron and steel products from Belarus in breach of EU sanctions.
The Dutch Fiscal Information and Investigation Service has announced the arrest of an employee of the Ministry of Defence on suspicion of exporting aircraft spare parts through various companies and countries to Russian in breach of the EU’s sanctions.
The announcement confirms that this is the second arrest in the same investigation with an earlier arrest and raid conducted on 29 August 2023.
It was reported today by Reuters that there are 150 ongoing sanctions investigations being undertaken in Germany.
No further details were published.
