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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Latvia’s FIU has announced the successful appeal of an earlier acquittal resulting in the conviction of an individual and company for providing services related to the tourism sector in Crimea – i.e. organizing tourist trips to Crimea.
The case remains subject to further appeal.
The company was fined €10,500 and the individual sentenced to 100 hours of community service.
At a conference held last week in Riga, the Director of Latvia’s Customs Board, gave figures on the number of penalties imposed under new rules introduced on 10 June 2025 allowing administrative penalties for import/export breaches of Russian sanctions where the value of the goods was less than €10,000.
Under those rules, in addition to confiscation of the goods in question, the minimum fine for a company is €10,000 and a maximum of €30,000. For individuals the maximum fine is €10,000.
At the conference (video is here, with the figure given at 3:15), it was stated that Latvia had imposed 247 such penalties to date, although some of those are the subject of appeals.
Latvia’s State Security Service (VDD) has issued two press releases relating to investigations in which they have asked the Prosecution Service to initiate a criminal prosecution.
The first, relates to a Russian national with Latvian residency who is alleged to have held positions of Advisor to the General Director, Director of Finance and Chief Economist for three different Russian companies. The VDD allege that holding these offices amounts to a breach of the prohibition against providing economic and governance consultancy services to Russian companies.
The second, relates to the investigation against two individuals who managed the so-called “Moscow House” in Riga. The individuals are alleged to have “dealt” with the economic resources of Moscow House by renting out its facilities, including asking such customers to pay bills on behalf of Moscow House.
The prosecution is premised on the basis that Moscow House is owned or controlled by the Moscow City Property Department, which is owned or controlled by Moscow’s Mayor Sergey Sobyanin, who is a designated person under the EU’s sanctions, or owned or controlled by President Putin in his official capacity.
Latvia’s State Security Service (the VDD) is seeking the prosecution of two Latvian nationals accused of providing project management services to Russian companies.
This is one of few known prosecutions for breaching the EU’s professional services prohibitions. It is alleged that the individuals were co-owners of a company through which the services were provided.
The investigation started in January of this year.
