European Sanctions Enforcement

June 12, 2026June 12, 2026 by Mark Handley

Belgium – three convicted of Russian sanctions breaches

Reuters is reporting that three individuals have today been convicted of Russian sanctions offences.

The offending involved the shipment of goods for the Russian defence sector via third countries including Hong Kong and Kazakhstan. The goods are described as “sanctioned goods, including rare earths, an explosive detector and a defence-related machine”.

The first defendant, named in the reporting as Victor Labin, was given an €80,000 fine and a five year prison sentence, with one year of that suspended.

The second defendant, reported to be Ruslan Labin, and tried in absentia was sentenced to six years in jail and an €8,000 fine.

The third defendant, named only as P.I., was given a three year sentence, suspended for five years, and an €8,000 fine.

June 12, 2026June 12, 2026 by Mark Handley

UK – two convicted for tens of millions in prohibited arms sales

HM Revenue and Customs has issued a press release relating to yesterday’s conviction of David Greenhalgh and Christos Farmakis on multiple counts (nine and ten respectively) of unlawful exports of military hardware in breach of UK sanctions and arms embargos under the Export Control Order 2008.

Mr Farmakis was tried in absentia with HMRC stating that he is thought to currently be in Greece and that HMRC is “working with international partners to bring him to the UK to face justice”.

Sentencing is due to take place in July, with the judge reported as saying that Mr Greenhalgh should expect a lengthy custodial sentence.

The unlicensed sales and exports were to Sudan, South Sudan and Libya between 2009 and 2016 and were largely of ex-Soviet equipment including “ex-Soviet jets, surface-to-air missile systems, anti-tank missiles, thousands of assault rifles and other controlled goods”.

The transactions were conducted through Mr Greenhalgh’s companies and involved circuitous transport routes as well as faked end-user certificates.

June 10, 2026June 10, 2026 by Mark Handley

Poland – individual fined c. €4.7m for sanctioned luxury car exports to Russia

Poland’s National Tax Administration has issued a press release confirming the imposition of a PLN 20,000,000 (c. €4.7m) fine on an unnamed entrepreneur.

This is separate from another fine of the same amount that was imposed in April on a company for luxury car exports.

The entrepreneur exported 177 cars and one motorbike between January and June 2023 each valued at over €50,000 in breach of the EU’s prohibition against the export of luxury goods to Russia with a total value of over €19m.

My thanks to Dr Marcin Lukowski for pointing me to the announcement.

June 10, 2026June 10, 2026 by Mark Handley

Poland – two charged with sanctioned exports of dual-use goods to Russia

Poland’s ABW (Agency for Internal Security) has issued a press release related to the charging of two individuals, Eduard K. and Krzysztof J., on suspicion of exporting dual use goods to Russia in breach of the EU’s sanctions.

The equipment was a CNC machine tool and a thermal chamber for metalworking. The equipment was purchased in Germany and transported to Poland before being shipped to Turkey for further export into Russia.

The goods were stopped from being exported and the two suspects have been detained since September last year.

The press release notes the availability of a sentence of not less than three years as well as confiscations.

June 8, 2026June 8, 2026 by Mark Handley

Netherlands – Customs launch major investigation into vessel exporting to Russia

It is being reported that Dutch Customs have launched a major investigation includes raids on premises in Rotterdam and Amsterdam, searches on board a container vessel and the arrest and detention of the captain.

The vessel in question routinely sails between St Petersburg and Rotterdam. Dozens of containers on board the vessel have been found with goods suspected of breaching the EU’s sanctions. The containers are said to show signs of attempts to conceal the contents.

Of the goods identified, the containers carried large quantities of car parts which can be used in passenger vehicles as well as trucks. Also found was motor oil.

The same report also indicates that the investigations continue into: i) a company suspected of sanctioned imports of timber (see our earlier post), with the report noting that trial is anticipated in 2027); and ii) the company suspected of supplying goods and services to shadow fleet vessels (see our earlier post).

June 8, 2026June 8, 2026 by Mark Handley

Georgia – arrest of Russian national for extradition to the US to face sanctions charges

It is being reported that Russian national Tatiana Kurashkevich has been arrested and detained on arrival in Tbilisi airport in Georgia.

Detention has been ordered for three months and she faces extradition to the US where she is suspected of a role in the export of aircraft parts to Russian in breach of US sanctions. The maximum sentence in the US is reported to be 70 years.

June 8, 2026June 8, 2026 by Mark Handley

Latvia – trial begins in significant case for the EU’s Russian sanctions

Further to our earlier post, trial has begun today in Riga of Eduard Tsehoval, the former head of the property known as Moscow House, in Latvia.

The prosecution alleges that Moscow House was ultimately owned or controlled by designated persons, Moscow’s Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, or by President Putin in their respective official capacities.

It is alleged that Mr Tsehoval oversaw the continued collection of rent by Moscow House after the imposition of sanctions, thereby making funds available to designated persons.

If the prosecution is successful on the basis of the property being controlled by President Putin, this case could have significant ramifications in the way Russian state-owned property is treated under the EU’s Russian sanctions.

June 8, 2026June 8, 2026 by Mark Handley

Sweden – seizure of detained cargo vessel confirmed with transfer to Ukraine approved

Further to our earlier post, the Swedish courts have ordered the formal seizure of the cargo ship the Caffa. It is alleged that this vessel was used to carry grain from territory formerly controlled by Ukraine and now occupied by Russian forces.

Reuters has also reported that the Court has ruled that title to the vessel may now be transferred to Ukraine on the basis that the alleged behaviour of shipping grain from Ukraine may constitute a war crime under Swedish law.

June 8, 2026June 8, 2026 by Mark Handley

Bulgaria – investigation announced into real estate deal suspected of breaching Russian sanctions

It is being reported that Bulgaria’s Ministry of Justice has ordered an investigation into sales of real estate in Bulgaria by the Russian state enterprise Goszagransobstvennost.

The sales are reported to have been to Valentin Zlatev, former head of Lukoil Bulgaria, and with payment said to have been deferred until the lifting of sanctions.

June 4, 2026June 4, 2026 by Mark Handley

France – captain of the sanctioned Tagor tanker arrested and under investigation

Further to our recent post on the seizure of the shadow fleet tanker, the Tagor, it has now been announced that that the vessel’s captain was arrested on 2 June, and was released from detention yesterday.

The captain has not been charged but investigations are ongoing. The prosecutor’s in the town of Brest is reported to have said the captain may face a custodial sentence of up to a year.