Germany – European Sanctions Enforcement

June 3, 2025June 3, 2025 by Mark Handley

Germany – 41 criminal prosecutions for luxury car exports to Russia

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.

May 16, 2025May 27, 2025 by Mark Handley

Germany – raids related to sanctioned car exports to Russia

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.

May 1, 2025May 1, 2025 by Mark Handley

Germany – CJEU decision on sanctions conviction for exporting cash to Russia

The Court of Justice has issued a preliminary ruling arising from the criminal conviction in Germany of an individual who was stopped at Frankfurt Airport in May 2022 attempting to export €13,800 in cash to Russia.

The individual’s argument was that the funds fell within the “personal use” exception in article 5i(2)(a) of regulation 833/2014, as they were for intended for various medical procedures including dental treatment, fertility treatment and plastic surgery.

The Court of Justice has decided that a “strict interpretation of th[e] exception” was appropriate, that medical treatments do not fall within the exception, and that the exception was for “cash necessary to obtain essential goods and services in order to meet their needs during their travel and stay in Russia”.

The reference to the CJEU was from the Oberlandesgericht Frankfurt am Main, which was hearing an appeal from the original conviction.

April 2, 2025 by Mark Handley

Germany – arrests, raids and asset seizures in two Russian car export investigations

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.

April 2, 2025 by Mark Handley

Germany – four charged under ISIS sanctions

It is being reported that the German Prosecutor’s Office has charged four Russian nationals with making funds available to ISIS in breach of the EU’s sanctions.

One individual was arrested in January of this year and three others in July of 2024.

They are accused of raising €174,000 for ISIS and then sending that to ISIS via various channels.

March 17, 2025 by Mark Handley

Germany – prosecution to proceed against individuals alleged to have exported machinery to Crimea

It is being reported that the Hamburg regional court has ordered that trial should proceed against two of the five individuals who being investigated for alleged exports of machinery to Crimea in breach of the EU’s sanctions.

As per our earlier posts (from 2024 and 2021 and 2018), the investigation relates to power generating turbines exported from Germany. Last year five individuals were charged.

The trial will now proceed against two of these with the court ruling that there was insufficient evidence against the other three. The prosecutor’s office has appealed the decision in relation to the other three.

March 13, 2025March 13, 2025 by Mark Handley

Germany – raids and arrests for suspected luxury car exports to Russia

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.

February 10, 2025February 10, 2025 by Mark Handley

Germany – investigation into alleged sanctions breaches by Roman Abramovich

It is being reported that investigations have been commenced in Germany in relation to suspected sanctions breaches by Roman Abramovich.

Actions by the Federal Criminal Police Office and the Central Sanctions Enforcement Office have included raids on properties and the confiscation of luxury cars and artwork.

The suspected breaches of Regulation 269/2014 are the failure to properly or adequately disclose his frozen assets, including a 19th-century villa in Garmisch-Partenkirchen

It is also being reported that Mr Abramovich’s lawyer has said that he is not the ultimate owner of the villa or the confiscated luxury cars.

January 23, 2025 by Mark Handley

Germany – raids and arrests of suspected exporters of luxury cars to Russia and Belarus

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.

January 17, 2025January 17, 2025 by Mark Handley

Germany and Finland: sanctions investigations re seized “shadow fleet” vessels

It is being reported that the Panama-flagged vessel, the Eventin which has been seized and detained by Germany after it lost power on 10 January, is currently the subject of a sanctions investigation by the General Customs Inspection Office.

The investigation relates to the cargo of 100,000 tons of oil on board.

In a similar story, it is being reported that the Finnish authorities have concluded an investigation into possible sanctions breaches in relation to the Eagle S, the vessel suspected of being involved in disruption to undersea cables.

The Finnish authorities investigated the cargo of unleaded petrol and diesel on board, but determined that as the vessel only entered Finland’s territorial waters at the request of the Finnish authorities it cannot be said to have intentionally violated the prohibitions on the import of Russian oil products.