Dual-Use Goods – Page 3 – European Sanctions Enforcement

January 23, 2024January 25, 2024 by Mark Handley

Netherlands – three arrested on suspicion of circumventing Russian sanctions

The Dutch FIOD has today announced three arrests as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into suspected exports in circumvention of the EU’s trade sanctions against Russia.

The individuals are two men from Diemen and a woman from The Hague. The men were both directors of a company founded in 2017, and the arrested woman was an employee.

UPDATE: it is now being reported that the Dutch company involved is ETW-Tekhnologiya and that the company’s founder, Mikhail Volovik, is being sought but has not yet been arrested

The goods are described as technological and laboratory goods capable of military use – i.e. dual-use goods.

Searches and witness interviews have taken place in the Netherlands, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania and Canada.

December 27, 2023January 11, 2024 by Mark Handley

Romania – company fined and €2.9 million profits confiscated

An Advocate-General’s opinion in Case C-351/22 before the Court of Justice has revealed details of a not-previously publicised enforcement action from 2020 in Romania, by which the company Neves 77 Solutions SRL was administratively fined approximately €6,000 and had gross profits of €2.9 million confiscated.

The company had brokered a transaction whereby radio sets manufactured in Russia were sold by a Ukrainian company to an Indian company.

The question which came to be addressed by the Advocate-General was whether the confiscation of gross profits was compatible with fundamental principles of European law including whether it was a proportionate abrogation of the right to property. The Advocate-General’s opinion is that such confiscations are not a breach of European law.

December 5, 2023January 11, 2024 by Mark Handley

Netherlands – arrests and raids regarding Russian sanctions

It has been reported today that the Dutch authorities, after a tip-off from unnamed US “agencies” have conducted searches at homes and business addresses in Sluis and Rotterdam.

Related search and arrests took place in the Belgium (see our related post) at the same time, and in total across both countries six have been arrested.

The allegations relate to the export of products and technology to Russia.

December 5, 2023January 11, 2024 by Mark Handley

Belgium – raids and arrests for Russian sanctions

It has been reported today that the Belgian authorities, after a tip-off from unnamed US “agencies” have conducted searches at homes and business addresses in Knokke-Heist and Eeklo.

The Belgian government announcement is here.

Related search and arrests took place in the Netherlands (see our related post) at the same time, and in total across both countries six have been arrested, four of whom were arrested in Belgium

The allegations relate to the export of products and technology to Russia.

December 5, 2023January 11, 2024 by Mark Handley

Finland – charges coming for 6 for Russian sanctions breaches

It has been reported today that Finnish Customs are preparing to charge six with Russian sanctions offences.

The activities relate to two Finnish companies suspected of exporting microcontrollers and semi-conductors valued at more than €600,000 to Russia, as well as nearly 3,500 drones value at over €2 million.

The investigation is said to have also involved the authorities from the Netherlands, the UK, the US, as well as Europol and Finland’s Security and Intelligence Service.

December 1, 2023March 15, 2024 by Mark Handley

UK – HMRC imposes three compound penalties for exports

The UK’s HMRC has today announced three new compound penalties imposed on experts for unlawful exports.

The first penalty was £67,000.31 imposed for the attempted export of goods in breach of the UK’s Russian sanctions. The person or company involved was not named.

The second penalty was for £1,000 and the attempted unlicensed export of dual-use goods. Again the penalised company was not named.

The third penalty was for £9,088.99 for exporting dual-use goods without a licence. This too was anonymised.

November 13, 2023March 6, 2024 by Mark Handley

Germany – charges for exporting military and dual use goods to Russia

Further to our earlier post, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office has issued a press release confirming charges against Ulli S for exports to Russia in breach of EU sanctions.

Continue reading “Germany – charges for exporting military and dual use goods to Russia”

October 26, 2023January 11, 2024 by Mark Handley

Germany – arrest and raids re export of drone parts to Russia

It was reported today that the German authorities have conducted searches at six premises and arrested a man on suspicion of illegally exporting drone parts valued at €2.1m in breach of the EU’s Russian sanctions.

The exports are alleged to have been routed through Hong Kong as a means of attempting the circumvention of the sanctions.

October 16, 2023February 27, 2024 by Mark Handley

Latvia – raids as part of alleged military exports to Russia

The Latvian State Security Service (VDD) has announced today that on 13 and 14 October it undertook raids at five premises in Riga collecting evidence and seizing over €500,000 in cash.

The investigation relates to alleged breaches of the EU’s sanctions by supplying resources to the Russian military.

The subject(s) of the investigation were not named.

August 24, 2023January 11, 2024 by Mark Handley

Arrest in Germany for exporting dual-use goods to Russia

It has been reported today that the German authorities have arrested a German national on suspicion of exporting dual-use goods to Russia.

The goods were being exported to a Russian arms manufacturer via either Switzerland or Lithuania, and were valued at over 2 million euros, and were being used to manufacture sniper rifles.

The suspect, named as Ulli S, was first arrested in France and then extradited to Germany under a European arrest warrant.