Latvia – Page 3 – European Sanctions Enforcement

January 5, 2023March 19, 2024 by Mark Handley

Latvia – man arrested on suspicion of providing economic resources to designated person

Latvia’s Intelligence Services (the VDD) have arrested a Latvian national, reported as Marat Kasem.

The alleged offence is the provision of “economic resources” to a designated person, or an asset owned or controlled by such a person.

The designated person is Dmitry Kiselev, who is the Director General of Rossiya Segodnya which in turn owns a number of broadcast channels including Sputnik and Baltnews.

Mr Kasem is alleged to have provided the “economic resources” by way of being employed by these channels in Lithuania.

December 19, 2022March 19, 2024 by Mark Handley

Latvia – criminal prosecution commenced for providing economic resources to designated person

The Latvian VDD (Intelligence Services) have announced that they have referred a case to criminal prosecution relating to the provision of “economic resources to another person, who is subject to EU sanctions”.

No further details of the alleged offending were provided.

December 16, 2022February 27, 2024 by Mark Handley

Latvia – prosecution for exports to Russia

The Latvian authorities have announced the prosecution of a man for the attempted export of goods to a company in Russia in breach of the EU’s sanctions.

The exports (described as “conditioning equipment”) were stopped by the Customs Service.

December 7, 2022February 27, 2024 by Mark Handley

Latvia – conviction for imports from Belarus

The Latvian authorities have announced the conviction of a man on charges of importing goods from Belarus in breach of the EU’s sanctions.

The goods in question were railway sleepers and 8kg of nails.

The fine imposed was €5,000. No custodial sentence was imposed, but the man was banned from conducting any import business from Belarus for a year.

October 19, 2022February 19, 2024 by Mark Handley

Latvia – three arrested to face charges of breaching US sanctions

The US Department of Justice has announced the multiple charges against individuals and companies relating to an attempt to export US-origin industrial equipment (a jig grinder) with military application to Russia.

The companies charged are CNC Weld (incorporated in Latvia) and BY Trade OU (incorporated in Estonia).

Janis Uzbalis, Vadims Ananics, Eriks Mamonovs are three of the individuals. They were arrested in Latvia on 18 October 2022 for extradition to the US.

As part of the same investigation others were arrested in Estonia – see here.

October 10, 2022March 19, 2024 by Mark Handley

Latvia – confiscation of $4m as part of investigation of UN sanctions breaches

Further to our earlier post, the Latvian VDD is investigating arms sales to an unnamed African country allegedly in breach of UN sanctions.

As part of that investigation the VDD has today announced the confiscation of $4m uncovered in an offshore account.

August 1, 2022March 19, 2024 by Mark Handley

Latvia – person arrested and charged on suspicion of breaching Russian sanctions

The Latvian Intelligence Services (VDD) has announced the arrest and charge of an individual on suspicion of breaching the EU’s sanctions against Russia.

As well as other offences, the sanctions breach is said to relate to cooperation “with a person included in the EU sanctions list”

February 7, 2022January 11, 2024 by Mark Handley

Latvia – fines of €3.1m for breaches of Russian sanctions

Following raids in Riga and Tallinn by the Latvian Security Police, in close cooperation with the Estonian Internal Security Service (ISS), it was reported today that two individuals have been fined by the Latvian courts for breaching the EU’s Russian sanctions.

The breaches involved making funds available, through contracts involving broadcasting, to a designated person. The individuals (Oleg Solodov and Margus Merima) were each fined €25,000, and a further €3 million was confiscated.

December 4, 2020January 11, 2024 by Mark Handley

Latvia – raids as part of investigation of seven individuals

It has been reported today that the Latvian authorities have conducted court-ordered raids on premises in Riga and elsewhere as part of the ongoing criminal investigation of seven individuals suspected of breaching the EU’s Russian sanctions.

February 5, 2020January 11, 2024 by Mark Handley

Estonia and Latvia conduct joint raids into suspected sanctions breaches

The Latvian security service, the VDD, and the Estonian Internal Security Service, have conducted joint raids in the two countries as part of ongoing criminal investigations.

The raids were on the premises of companies in Riga and Tallinn owned or controlled by designated persons under the EU sanctions.

It is reported that one of the companies raided was Baltic Media Alliance.