Latvia – Page 2 – European Sanctions Enforcement

February 27, 2024March 19, 2024 by Mark Handley

Latvia – sanctions raids and inspections into Russian timber imports

The Latvian State Security Service has today announced multiple raids and inspections took place last week in relation to an ongoing criminal investigation into plywood imports into Latvia where counterfeit documents mask the Russian or Belarusian origin of the products in favour of false origins in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.

The importation of many timber products is prohibited under the EU’s Russian sanctions.

The report notes that the criminal proceedings were commenced in November 2023.

It is unclear whether this investigation in Latvia is related to a similar investigation into plywood imports being undertaken in Lithuania. See our earlier post.

UPDATE: The Latvian VDD has now provided some further clarification of the location of the raids including the premises in Valmiera of the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

February 9, 2024March 19, 2024 by Mark Handley

Latvia – further sanctions enforcement statistics including seven convictions

The Latvian authorities have provided a further update to their enforcement efforts. As reported:

- 281 sanctions-related suspicious activity reports in 2022
- 510 sanctions-related suspicious activity reports in 2023
- 310 criminal cases commenced
- 22 prosecutions in which the trial has started
- 7 convictions to date.

Of the convictions, all involved guilty pleas and all involved Latvian nationals. The highest penalty related to the export of a luxury car, and the fine was €170,000.

The conduct prosecuted included in relation to the sale of a professional footballer to a club owned by a company designated under Belarus sanctions, and the provision of content to the Russian Federal News Agency.

UPDATE: It has now (18 March 2024) been reported that the fine imposed in relation to providing economic resources to the Russian news agency in the form of employment services, was €15,500.

January 25, 2024 by Mark Handley

Latvia – announcement of 258 ongoing criminal prosecutions

In an earlier post we reported that the Latvian authorities had 14 ongoing criminal prosecutions.

This morning, Raimonds Zukuls of the Latvian State Revenue Service has given an interview announcing that 114 criminal cases were opened during 2022 and a further 144 cases were opened during 2023.

These cases all concern the EU’s Russian and Belarusian sanctions. It was also said that most cases relate to electrical goods, car parts, luxury goods, timber products, fuel, fodder and metal products.

It was also stated that over 5,000 imports/exports had been stopped by the State Revenue Service.

January 18, 2024 by Mark Handley

Latvia – importer referred to criminal authorities

It has been reported today that the Latvian National Regional Development Agency (the “VRAA”) has referred the Latvian company LLC Lanekss to the criminal authorities for investigation.

The allegations arise out of LLC Lanekss being a seller of products on Latvia’s electronic public procurement sale platform – the EIS.

The Latvian state broadcaster (LTV) purchased tea through the EIS which when delivered was stated to have been manufactured in Russia.

As article 5k of EU regulation 833/2014 prohibits the award of a contract within the scope of the EU’s Public Procurement legislation to a Russian company or individual, or a company more than 50% owned by a Russian company or individual, the VRAA has referred the case to law enforcement for investigation.

December 22, 2023March 19, 2024 by Mark Handley

Latvia – criminal proceedings commenced and raids in Riga for alleged Russian sanctions breaches

The Latvian VDD has announced that it has carried out raids in Moscow House in Riga on 21 and 22 December with significant data and document seized.

A criminal case has been initiated against one individual.

December 11, 2023February 27, 2024 by Mark Handley

Latvia – raids and arrests for dual-use sanctions investigation

The Latvian State Security Service (VDD) has today announced a series of six raids and two arrests in Riga which took place on 4 December 2023 in relation to a criminal investigation into a Latvian company suspected of exporting electronic components to Russia.

The goods are reported to have been valued at €500,000.

The company was not named and nor were the individuals.

October 16, 2023February 27, 2024 by Mark Handley

Latvia – raids as part of alleged military exports to Russia

The Latvian State Security Service (VDD) has announced today that on 13 and 14 October it undertook raids at five premises in Riga collecting evidence and seizing over €500,000 in cash.

The investigation relates to alleged breaches of the EU’s sanctions by supplying resources to the Russian military.

The subject(s) of the investigation were not named.

September 18, 2023February 27, 2024 by Mark Handley

Latvia – two prosecutions for Russian and Belarusian sanctions breaches

The Latvian State Security Service (VDD) has announced that it has forwarded a case to the Prosecution Service for the initiation of criminal proceedings relating to the export of luxury goods to Russian in breach of EU sanctions.

The luxury good in question was a car.

In another announcement today, the VDD has announced the referral of another case for prosecution relating to the import of iron and steel products from Belarus in breach of EU sanctions.

September 12, 2023January 11, 2024 by Mark Handley

Latvian enforcement: 14 ongoing criminal prosecutions

In response to questions about Russian sanctions enforcement the Latvian authorities have confirmed that they have 14 ongoing criminal prosecutions of which three relate to exports, including circumvention of sanctions by routing exports through China and central Asia, and the others to breaches of financial sanctions.

The Latvian authorities also stated they received 281 suspicious activity reports during 2022 in relation to Russian sanctions, and had received 309 so far in 2023.

April 24, 2023February 27, 2024 by Mark Handley

Latvia – conviction and fine for imports in breach of Belarus sanctions

The Latvian State Prosecution Service has announced a conviction of a man for importing 13 packages of wooden sleepers and 8kg of nails from Belarus in breach of the EU’s sanctions.

The fine imposed was €6,200. As part of the sentencing the man was prohibited from importing any goods from Belarus for a year.

A co-accused was earlier sentenced to pay a fine of €5,000.