As first reported in Global Sanctions, and as per a press release by German Customs, the Marburg Regional Court on 8 July has sentenced an individual to 5 years in jail for exporting luxury cars to Russian breach of the EU’s sanctions.
The man was convicted of 71 separate counts.
The court also confiscated approximately €5m as the gross proceeds of the cars sales.
Hamburg’s Customs Investigations Office has announced raids on residential and commercial properties in the Berlin area as part of an ongoing investigation into suspected imports of luxury goods from Russia in breach of the EU’s sanctions.
In particular it is alleged that the business was importing substitute caviar from Russia which would amount, if proven, to a breach of import prohibitions under the Russian sanctions.
Other offences including customs evasion are being investigated.
The Austrian TV station TV21 has broadcast a story (on YouTube in English) reporting on raids and searches by the Hannover Customs Office in North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony on behalf of the Bielefeld Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Three individuals were arrested.
As well as trading in untaxed cigarettes, it is suspected that the group were responsible for the prohibited export of 100 cars to Russia via third countries in breach of the EU’s sanctions.
The publication Business Insider has conducted a survey of the enforcement activity conducted by Prosecutors’ Offices across Germany in relation to the export of German cars, and published the results (behind a paywall).
A total of 14 different Prosecutors’ Offices confirmed that they have brought, or are bringing, criminal prosecutions in relation to the alleged export of luxury cars from Germany to Russia in breach of the EU’s sanctions.
The total number of prosecutions reported to date was 41.
German Customs has issued a press release relating to raids conducted in Frankfurt am Main on 13 May 2025.
The raids saw the seizure of 21 luxury cars valued at approximately €1.3m.
The alleged culprit is a 39-year old of Kazakh origin. It is alleged that more than 700 cars have been exported to Russia and Belarus through third countries., valued at c. €25m.
The Customs Office in Frankfurt am Main has issued a press release relating to actions taken in two ongoing investigations.
The first case, which is being conducted by the Darmstadt Prosecutor’s Office, saw raids in Offenbach, Main-Taunus, Hochtaunus and Main-Kinzig under 24 different warrants. There are two defendants aged 58 and 81, and they are suspected of exporting cars to Russia in breach of sanctions as well as other offences. Cars, cash, coins, watches and real estate were seized with a value of €7.8 million.
The second case arose from a suspicious activity report, and is being conducted by the Frankfurt am Main Prosecutor’s Office. A 55-year old is suspected of having exported more than 150 cars to Russia in breach of sanctions. Raids were carried out in the district of Offenbach with evidence and assets seized. The press release states that the value of seized assets was €6.9 million.
It is being reported (here and here) that authorities in Berlin and Bavaria have conducted raids on five premises and arrested three individuals for the suspected export of nearly 200 luxury cars to Russia in breach of the EU’s sanctions.
The value of the cars is reported to be approximately €21 million, and they were exported via third countries such as Belarus, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
It has been reported that during 2024 Estonia’s Internal Security Service commenced 71 criminal cases in relation to suspected trade with Russia in breach of the EU’s sanctions, and has commenced another 12 already during 2025. These cases are said to be for the more serious, intentional or repeat offenders.
The same report note that Estonia’s Police and Border Guard Board are currently identifying an average of 12 sanctions violations per day predominantly by individuals attempted to take cash or luxury goods into Russia. This is reported to be down from a previous average of 22 violations per day.
With all people crossing the border being subject to inspection, first time offenders are required to either turn back and not cross, or to accept confiscation of the goods/items and continue the journey.
It is being reported that on 16 January raids were carried out at six addressed in Ludwigshafen, Schifferstadt and Mannheim and a 53-year old was arrested on suspicion of exporting over 150 luxury cars to Russia and Belarus valued at more than €7,500,000.
Cash and cars valued at more than €500,000 were seized and accounts frozen.
The same article reports on another case from November 2024 (also reported here), in which a 26-year old was arrested and detained on suspicion of exporting 30 luxury cars to Russia valued at around €3,500,000.
Further to our earlier post about an HMRC criminal investigation into the alleged export of luxury perfume to Russia, it is now being reported by the BBC that the investigation has been dropped.
The report does not explain the rationale for discontinuing the investigation, but notes the the primary individual involved, a Mr Crisp, had been recorded on video by a private investigator who asked “How’s your Russian market”, to which the recorded response was “We’re doing really well… we ignore government edicts”.
Another director of the company compiled evidence of the alleged sanction breaches, and provided that to the authorities.
That example of self-reporting and co-operation may well explain why the company was not itself prosecuted. It is unclear why the director Mr Crisp has not been pursued. The investigation first came to light after a civil court ruled there was “strong prima facie evidential basis for the allegations” and ordered the removal of Mr Crisp from his position as director of the company.
