2026 – European Sanctions Enforcement

August 27, 2026August 27, 2026 by Mark Handley

UK – National Crime Agency agrees forfeiture of $5.2m to resolve sanctions and AML investigation

The UK’s National Crime Agency has issued a press release stating that it has entered into a settlement agreement with ENEX Premium Trading Limited, owned by Nadir Valiyev and registered in St Kitts and Nevis.

The press release states that the settlement involves no admission of criminality by either ENEX of Mr Valiyev.

The allegation that was investigated from 2024 onwards was that ENEX was involved in the shipment of stolen Ukrainian grain. The NCA obtained an Account Freezing Order in November 2024 over sums received from China between July and September 2024. It is those funds which have now been forfeited.

August 27, 2026August 27, 2026 by Mark Handley

UK – Russian-flagged vessel issued with movement direction to leave UK waters

The UK’s Department of Transport has today published information on events that took place on 27-28 January 2026.

On 27 January, the Russian-flagged, registered and operated vessel the Sinegorsk contacted HM Coastguard stating an intention to enter UK waters to undertake repairs to its hull.

The Centre for Transport Sanctions within the Department of Transport conducted an investigation into the sanctions status of the vessel.

After determining that the vessel was within the scope of the discretionary powers to issue a “movement direction”, the Secretary of State decided to issue such a direction. On 28 January HM Coastguard issued the notice to the Sinegorsk which proceeded to comply with the direction and leave UK waters.

August 27, 2026August 27, 2026 by Mark Handley

Germany – lengthy jail terms for machinery exports to Russia

Further to our earlier post, relating to two brothers pleading guilty to sanctions offences mid-trial, the court in Germany has now sentenced (and here in German) the pair.

The younger brother was sentenced to 4 years and one month, and the elder brother to 3 years and 10 months. This was part of a plea deal in which, according to reports, admissions were also made in relation to offences that did not form part of the prosecution.

The convictions relate to 65 exports to Russia via, Turkey and Kyrgyzstan, of a total of €833,000 worth of engineering equipment and machinery used in weapons manufacturing.

August 24, 2026August 24, 2026 by Mark Handley

Austria – two convicted for exporting sanctioned machinery to Russia

Further to our previous post, it is now being reported that the Austrian investigation into suspected exports of CNC machines has ended in two criminal convictions.

A 28 year old was the director and shareholder in the Vienna-based company involved. He received a 21 month sentence of which 19 months were suspended. He was released upon his conviction having already served more than two months in detention.

The second defendant was a 24-year old who dealt with the company’s accounts and was also a shareholder. She was given a 15-month suspended sentence.

Both had pleaded guilty to the charges.

The reporting makes no mention of a financial fine, or of any confiscation of the proceeds of crime.

August 24, 2026August 24, 2026 by Mark Handley

Germany – update on confiscation proceedings relating to the crude cargo of detained tanker, the Eventin

Further to our earlier post relating to the detention of the tanker Eventin by Germany in January 2025, press reporting has provided an update on the progress of the efforts by German Customs to confiscate and sell the 99,000 metric tonnes of crude on board.

It appears that Customs have decided to discontinue efforts to expedite the confiscation, with the issues relating to the confiscation, of whether any sanctions offence was committed, and whether the vessel, which was suffering engine trouble, was entitled to sail into German waters to obtain safe refuge, will be determined in the respective proceedings brought by the ship’s owner, Laliya Shipping Corp in March and April of this year.

August 24, 2026August 24, 2026 by Mark Handley

UK and Ireland – TikTok self reports possible sanctions breaches

It has been reported, here (behind a paywall), that TikTok Information Technologies UK Limited, has self-reported potential breaches of sanctions both to the UK’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation, and to Ireland’s Central Bank of Ireland, as well as to other unnamed regulators.

The information on the self-reporting comes from the most-recently filed company accounts, available from Companies House in England:

No other information is available on the sanctions regime, or regimes, involved, the nature of the potential breaches, or the progress in any regulatory investigations since April.

August 11, 2026August 11, 2026 by Mark Handley

Austria – suspected exports of military manufacturing equipment lead to raids and arrest

Austria’s Interior Ministry has issued a press release detailing on ongoing investigation and prosecution into a procurement network for the Russian arms industry.

The goods were CNC machines and related tools for metal processing. The suspected exports involved a network of companies in Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, South Korea, Poland and Lithuania.

End-user certificates were also forged to mask that the real customer was Russia’s state-owned arms manufacturer ROSTEC. The goods are said to have been used in the production of engines for missiles and fighter jets.

Four properties were raided in August 2025 revealing evidence of exports valued at €3.3 million mostly shipped via Hong Kong and Turkey.

Evidence of continuing intentions to export led to the arrest on 13 May 2026 of a Belarussian national who was the managing director and co-shareholder of the unnamed company. He remains in custody.

August 3, 2026August 3, 2026 by Mark Handley

EU – another sanctioned tanker – the Toa Payoh – boarded in the Mediterranean

Further to our earlier post, it is being reported that, on Sunday 2 August, the EU’s operation EUNAVFOR MED Irini has boarded another tanker, the Toa Payoh, off Sicily. The vessel was sailing from Benin to Istanbul.

The boarding was to determine and investigate the flag status of the vessel which was claiming to have recently switched to a Cameroonian flag.

The vessel was not seized or detained as part of the operation.

August 3, 2026August 3, 2026 by Mark Handley

United Kingdom – two fines for military export control breaches

On 27 July, the UK’s HM Revenue and Customs issued a “Notice to Exporters” relating to two companies fined £216,530.30 and £20,889.15 respectively.

The companies were not named.

The conduct was not described in any detail and only said to “relate to unlicensed exports of military-listed goods and related activity prohibited by The Export Control Order 2008 and contrary to The Customs and Excise Management Act 1979”.

The details of why and how these companies were able to secure a resolution via a compound penalty were also not provided, although the Notice says in general terms:

“Compound settlements may be offered where an exporter has:

voluntarily told HMRC about sanctions or export control breaches, and
committed a breach that was inadvertent or due to weaknesses in internal controls”.

July 30, 2026July 30, 2026 by Mark Handley

EU – sanctioned oil tanker boarded in Mediterranean

It is being reported that on 20 July, the EU’s Mediterranean naval taskforce IRINI boarded the Turkish-owned oil tanker, the South Star, in order to assess and investigate its flag status. Under a different name the vessel had been designated by both the EU and the UK in 2025.

The report states that there was uncertainty over the vessel’s flag status as between Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea.

The vessel was allowed to proceed after the boarding and inspection.

The same reporting refers to IRINI’s published information which says that it had conducted three earlier flag verification boardings during the month of June.