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.
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.
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.
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”
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.
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.
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.
The Dutch authorities have announced the arrest of a 41-year old man on suspicion of exporting microchips indirectly to Russia through third countries in circumvention of the EU’s sanctions.
The products are computer parts and were exported through third countries such as Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Turkey and the UAE.
Residential and business premises were searched in Moerdijk as part of the investigation.
It has been announced today that a British company has pleaded guilty to one count of the attempted export of a controlled chemical which is classified as a dual use good.
The company was fined just £600 plus £2,659.5 in costs.
While HMRC did not name the company, it is being reported that the company was VWR International Limited, and that the export was bound for Pakistan.
For an earlier fine imposed on VWR see our previous post.
The UK’s HMRC has today announced compound penalties imposed on four exporters. Two related to military goods and two to dual-use goods.
The exporters were not named.
The penalties imposed were:
