Germany – Page 6 – European Sanctions Enforcement

September 22, 2022January 11, 2024 by Mark Handley

Germany – Munich prosecutor investigates alleged sanctions breaches

It has been reported that the Munich state prosecutor has conducted comprehensive raids at the residence of a Russian citizen and four other suspects.

The Russian national is suspected of having recruited a security firm to observe properties in Upper Bavaria financially linked to him, and that the payments made to the firm were in breach of the asset freeze imposed on this designated person.

Also being investigated are the security firm and its staff.

The designated person has been named as Alisher Usmanov but this is a different investigation to the one we have separately reported.

September 22, 2022January 11, 2024 by Mark Handley

Germany – raids on property of designated person

The German authorities have conducted raids on properties in three states relating to an investigation into Alisher Usmanov, a designated person under the EU’s sanctions.

The investigation is said to relate to transactions conducted between 2017 and 2022.

September 20, 2022March 6, 2024 by Mark Handley

Germany – man charged for exports to Iran

Further to our earlier post, the German Federal Prosecutor’s Office has issued a press release confirming that Alexander J. has been charged with various breaches of the EU’s sanctions against Iran.

The Iranian company purchasing equipment through Alexander J. is said to be a designated person, while the products themselves are also prohibited from being exported to Iran.

The goods are said to have been for use in Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, and to have been valued at over €1 million.

August 30, 2022January 11, 2024 by Mark Handley

Germany – raids investigating alleged chemical exports to Russia

It has been reported today that the German authorities have conducted raids across Germany as part of investigations into alleged exports of chemicals to Russia in breach of EU sanctions.

The raids included the premises of the companies Riol Chemie GmbH and R.R. Rhein Reserve GmbH.

It is alleged that more than 30 separate exports have taken place in the last three or so years, and that the chemicals could be used to make chemical weapons including Novichok.

June 20, 2022January 11, 2024 by Mark Handley

Germany – apartments belonging to designated persons seized

It has been reported that the German authorities have seized three apartments owned by designated persons under the EU’s Russian sanctions.

It is alleged that the designated persons were continuing to charge and receive rent from tenants in breach of the asset freeze imposed upon them and so are being investigated for breach of the German foreign trade law.

March 18, 2022January 11, 2024 by Mark Handley

Germany – investigation into purported share transfer

The travel company Tui has confirmed that the German authorities are investigating the circumstances behind the alleged transfer of a 34% stake in the company from Alexi Mordashov, now a designated person under the EU’s Russian sanctions, to his wife.

The allegation is that the transfer would be a breach of the asset freeze imposed upon Mordashov.

March 18, 2022January 11, 2024 by Mark Handley

Germany – investigation confirmed into engineering company’s Russian exports

The German Ministry of Economy has launched an investigation into whether engineering company Bosch has made unlawful exports to Russian in breach of EU sanctions.

February 22, 2022March 6, 2024 by Mark Handley

Germany – charges for dual-use exports to Russia

Further to our earlier post, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office has issued a press release confirming the indictment of Alexander S. on further charges relating to the export of dual-use goods to Russia in breach of EU sanctions.

The value of the exports is estimated at over €1 million.

The press release documents warning issued to Alexander S by the German authorities and his efforts to circumvent the prohibitions through falsifying documents and arranging for export from an Asian country.

December 18, 2021March 29, 2024 by Mark Handley

Germany – five being investigated in relation to export of gas turbines to Crimea

It is being reported today that the Hamburg Public Prosecutor’s Office is currently investigating five individuals in relation to the export from Germany to Crimea of gas turbines manufactured by Siemens.

The broader investigation into the export of these turbines has been ongoing since 2018. See our earlier post.

Four of the individuals being investigated are German nationals, three of whom worked for Siemens in Russia, and the fifth is a Swiss national.

September 14, 2021March 6, 2024 by Mark Handley

Germany – arrest and raids over nuclear equipment exports to Iran

It has been reported today that the German authorities have conducted raids on 11 premises across Hamburg, Schleswig Holstein and North Rhine-Westphalia, and that one individual (named only as Alexander J) has been arrested on suspicion of the unlawful export of machinery and equipment to Iran in breach of the EU’s sanctions.

The products were alleged to have been destined for Iran’s nuclear and missile programs and to have been valued at over €1.1 million.

The Federal Prosecutor’s Office press release is here.