Latvia – European Sanctions Enforcement

June 8, 2026June 8, 2026 by Mark Handley

Latvia – trial begins in significant case for the EU’s Russian sanctions

Further to our earlier post, trial has begun today in Riga of Eduard Tsehoval, the former head of the property known as Moscow House, in Latvia.

The prosecution alleges that Moscow House was ultimately owned or controlled by designated persons, Moscow’s Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, or by President Putin in their respective official capacities.

It is alleged that Mr Tsehoval oversaw the continued collection of rent by Moscow House after the imposition of sanctions, thereby making funds available to designated persons.

If the prosecution is successful on the basis of the property being controlled by President Putin, this case could have significant ramifications in the way Russian state-owned property is treated under the EU’s Russian sanctions.

May 8, 2026May 8, 2026 by Mark Handley

Latvia – sanctions enforcement data from Customs for the first quarter of 2026

A few weeks ago, Latvia’s Customs Service published data on its sanctions enforcement actions for the first quarter of 2026.

This includes:

161 shipments destined for prohibited export to Russia and Belarus were stopped;
26 shipments intended for prohibited import from Russia and Belarus were stopped;
43 attempts to export cash to Russia were prevented;
42 cases of violation by individuals using the postal service;
29 administrative proceedings were commenced for violations of sanctions; and
18 cases were referred to initiate criminal prosecutions.

May 1, 2026May 1, 2026 by Mark Handley

Latvia – company liquidated and director fined, and second company fined for Russian sanctions breaches

It is being reported that the Latvian authorities have entered into settlement agreements with two companies and a director of one of the companies in relation to resolving prosecutions for breaches of the EU’s Russian sanctions.

The director of the company to be liquidated was fined €10,140 and the second company was fined €17,940.

The first company (unnamed) had accepted an order to ship to Russia Buchholz relays and control relays designed to protect transformers, with a total value of €161,352.

The exporter approached a customs broker (the second unnamed company) to assist with the shipments to Russia. The broker was not told, and nor did it make enquiries, about the prohibited status of the goods.

The shipment did not proceed, but was stopped after an export declaration was made at the Riga Free Port.

March 18, 2026March 18, 2026 by Mark Handley

Latvia – 11 year jail sentence for exporting Starlink kits to the Russian military

The Latvia Prosecutor’s office has secured a conviction and 11-year jail term against an Azerbaijani national.

Three other defendants (including two Latvian nationals) are to be tried separately.

The man was convicted for his role in exporting dozens of Starlink Mini Kits to the Russian military, as well as “other goods used for military activities, including weapons parts, cartridge shells, bullets, ballistic weather meters, in total worth about 200, 000 euros”.

As well as sanctions offences the man was convicted of being part of an organised group to assist a foreign state in undermining the territorial integrity and independence of a democratic state.

In addition to the 11-year jail term, upon release he will be expelled from Latvia and be subject to a 5-year ban on re-entry.

This is the longest known sentence for breach of the EU’s Russian sanctions.

March 9, 2026March 9, 2026 by Mark Handley

Latvia – company and individual convicted of timber imports from Russia

The Latvian authorities have convicted, and fined, an individual and company for sanctioned timber imports from Russia.

The imports were of 50 packages of timber.

The company which procured the import was fined €39,000, and the individual who arranged the imports was fined €14,800. In addition the individual had the proceeds of the sale (€13,935) confiscated as the proceeds of crime.

As separate prosecution has been brought again the customs agent.

February 13, 2026February 13, 2026 by Mark Handley

Latvia – prosecution for providing IT services to Russian company

The State Security Service of Latvia has announced the prosecution of an individual for providing programming services to a Russian company.

This is the fifth recent prosecution in Latvia either in relation to the provision of prohibited services under Regulation 833/2014, or the provision of services to a designated person with the services treated as an “economic resource” that breaches the imposed asset freeze (see October 2025, October 2025, December 2025, and December 2025).

The individual is also being prosecuted on the basis that his salary was paid into Alfa-Bank, which is a designated person under the EU’s sanctions, and that this constitute making funds available to that designated person.

February 11, 2026February 11, 2026 by Mark Handley

Latvia – 3 year sentence for attempted ammunition export to Russia

Further to our earlier post, it is being reported that the Estonian-Russian national prosecuted for attempting to export 10,000 rounds of ammunition to Russia hidden in a truck cab has been convicted.

He has been sentenced to 3 years in jail.

The verdict remains subject to appeal.

January 12, 2026January 12, 2026 by Mark Handley

Latvia – prosecution for ammunition export to Russia

Latvia’s Prosecutor’s Office has issued a press release regarding bringing a criminal prosecution before the Riga City Court against an Estonian-Russian dual national for attempting to transport 10,000 items of ammunition into Russia.

The shipment was stopped at the Terekhov Customs crossing. As part of a search of the truck the bullets were found hidden within the driver’s cab of the truck.

December 23, 2025December 23, 2025 by Mark Handley

Latvia – raids and arrest for alleged sanctions breaches

It is being reported that Latvia’s State Security Service conducted a number of raids, and arrested an individual suspected of breaching the EU’s sanctions against Russia.

It is being reported that the individual is Viktors Guščins, who is alleged to have provided an economic resource to a designated person in the form of publications and propaganda material.

December 8, 2025December 8, 2025 by Mark Handley

Latvia – prosecution for providing professional services to Russian companies

Latvia’s VDD has asked the Prosecution Office to commence a prosecution of a latvian national for providing prohibited services to companies in Russia.

As per the press release: “DD found that the Latvian citizen had entered into employment contracts with multiple companies registered in Russia, where the person held the positions of general director and director and directly gave prohibited consultations on economic activities, management and taxation”.

This prosecution is one of several recently launched in Latvia (see our earlier post) in relation to alleged breaches of the prohibitions contained in regulation 5n of 833/2014.