Germany – Page 3 – European Sanctions Enforcement

December 2, 2025December 2, 2025 by Mark Handley

Germany – raids and arrests as part of investigation into exports of equipment to Russia

German Customs has issued a press release relating to an ongoing investigation against five defendants. On 29 November three properties were raids in Oelde, and two individuals were arrested.

The investigation by the Essen Customs office, relates to the export since January 2023 of technical equipment and accessories, such as pumps, valves, filters to a company in Russia.

It is suspected that 53 shipments may have taken place via third countries.

The investigation has also frozen assets valued at €689,000.

November 21, 2025November 25, 2025 by Mark Handley

Germany – raids in relation to export of hundreds of luxury cars to Russia

It is being reported that seven residential and commercial premises in the Steinfurt area were raided on 20 November by Customs officers from Essen, Münster and Osnabrück.

The raids relate to allegations that three individuals (aged 57, 32 and 27) were involved in the export of 346 luxury cars to Russia via third countries in breach of the EU’s sanctions.

The exports are said to have taken place between 2022 and 2024 and have totalled approximately €20m in value.

The report adds that assets (including real estate, cars and bank accounts) valued at €20m have been seized as part of the investigation.

November 20, 2025November 20, 2025 by Mark Handley

Germany – arrest and raids related to machinery exports to Russia

German Customs has issued a press release reporting that the Customs Investigation Office and Public Prosecutor’s Office in Stuttgart have overseen raids on private and company premises relating to alleged machinery exports to Russia in breach of the EU’s sanctions.

Raids and searches were conducted on 10, 14 and 18 November and a 55-year old man has been arrested.

It is alleged that 5 machine tools were exported to Russia via third countries between October 2023 and December 2024. The value of the machinery is stated to have been €1.7m.

As well as raiding the exporting company, raids were also conducted on the premises of a freight forwarding company in Duisburg.

November 19, 2025 by Mark Handley

Germany – sanctions trial begins of individuals suspected of exporting €28m in luxury cars

The trial has commenced in Berlin of Evgeniya P., Wladimir K. and Ekaterina M. Only Evgeniya P. is before the court, the others are being tried in absentia.

The three are alleged to have exported 257 luxury cars to Russia in breach of the EU’s sanctions with a value of €28.2m.

The exports are reported to have been completed via Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan or Turkey.

November 3, 2025 by Mark Handley

Germany – conviction and lengthy jail term for sanctioned exports to Russia

Further to our earlier post, it is being reported (here, here and here) that in September a court in Frankfurt convicted Alexander S. of exports of sanctioned goods to Russia.

He is reported to have been sentenced to 4 years and 11 months in jail. Both the defence and prosecution have appealed.

The conviction relates to exports of dual use maritime technology to Russia via a procurement network said to be run through the Cypriot company Mostrello.

November 3, 2025November 3, 2025 by Mark Handley

Germany – 16 years of jail and €30m confiscated for nearly 500 luxury car exports to Russia

This story is actually from September 2024, and was previously missed by this blog.

Three individuals were convicted of 430 separate violations of the German Foreign Trade Act by way of exports of nearly 500 luxury cars to Russia in breach of sanctions.

The individuals falsely declared the exports were for Belarus.

Two of the individuals were each sentenced to 6 years in jail, and the third to 4 years.

In addition €30m in the gross proceeds of the sales were confiscated.

November 3, 2025 by Mark Handley

Germany – investigation into alleged luxury car exports

German Customs has issued a 16 July Press release relating to raids and an investigation into alleged exports of luxury cars worth €3.4m to Russia.

The investigation was prompted by a suspicious activity report made to Germany’s FIU.

The investigation involves Hamburg Customs Investigation Office and the Hanover Public Prosecutor’s Office.

It is alleged that the exporter made false customs declarations purporting to indicate that the cars were destined for non-sanctioned countries, while the investigators determined that the cars were all subsequently registered in Russia.

October 20, 2025October 20, 2025 by Mark Handley

Germany – hearing begins for confiscation of €720m from sanctioned Russian bank

Further to our earlier post, it is being reported that the confiscation proceedings are now ongoing in the Frankfurt Higher Regional Court seeking to confiscate €720 million as the proceeds of crime from a sanctioned Russian bank.

According to reports the Russian bank sought to transfer these funds out of Germany in the immediate wake of being designated by the EU in June 2022, but the banks asked to process the payments refused to proceed.

As funds transferred in breach of the asset freeze imposed on the bank, these funds have been characterized by the prosecution as the proceeds of crime and so subject to confiscation under applicable anti-money laundering laws.

The case is being heard before a five judge bench.

October 9, 2025October 9, 2025 by Mark Handley

Germany – sentencing of five individuals convicted of Russian sanctions offences

Last month we posted regarding the conviction of five individuals for Russian trade sanctions offences by the Hamburg Regional Court.

It is being reported that the sentences have now been handed down.

Of the five individuals, one was given a custodial sentence of four and a half years, and two others were given custodial sentences of three years.

The final two defendants were given suspended sentences.

The offending concerned the shipment of electronic components valued at over EUR850,000 to Russia via third countries such as Hong Kong, China, Armenia and the UAE.

September 16, 2025 by Mark Handley

Germany – prosecution seeks 5 year jail term for sanctions violation ringleader

It is being reported that as part of an ongoing trial in Hamburg, that the Prosecutor’s Office is seeking a jail term of 5 years and 10 months for the main defendant. It is noteworthy that the Defence is seeking a jail term of 3 and a half years underlining the seriousness of the offending.

The alleged offending relates to the export of approximately €800,000 in electrical components and laboratory supplies.

There are four other individual defendants with the prosecution seeking shorter jail terms of suspended sentences for those.

The trial has been ongoing since April, and the verdict is expected shortly.