Netherlands – Page 7 – European Sanctions Enforcement

November 23, 2017January 10, 2024 by Mark Handley

Netherlands – criminal fine imposed for breach of Russian sanctions

The Dutch Public Prosecution Service has obtained a criminal fine of €50,000 against an unnamed Dutch freight solutions company.

The company had sought to ship radar equipment for Sukhoi jet fighters from Malaysia to Russia. The consignment was intercepted at Schiphol Airport. The sale was in breach of both European export controls, as the products were included on the EU’s Military List, and in breach of Russian sanctions which would have prohibited the granting of an export licence.

No licence had been applied for.

An individual was acquitted of a related offence.

September 29, 2017January 10, 2024 by Mark Handley

Netherlands – fine of €100,000 imposed on payment services provider

In 2015 the Dutch National Bank had imposed a financial penalty of €125,000 on an unnamed payment services provider for failings in relation to sanctions and PEP screening as part of a review by the bank.

The payment services provider appealed the decision.

On appeal to the District Court of Rotterdam the penalty was upheld but the fine reduced to €100,000.

The National Bank had originally calculated the fine as €550,000 which was then reduced due to the financial condition and size of the defendant.

September 4, 2017January 10, 2024 by Mark Handley

Netherlands – investigation into alleged breach of Crimean sanctions

It has been reported that the Dutch International Development minister has ordered an investigation into the alleged involvement of two Dutch companies, Dematec Equipment and Biljard Hydrauliek, in providing equipment for the building of the Kerch Strait Bridge designed to join Russia and Crimea.

The allegations, if proven, would be a breach of the EU’s Crimean sanctions.

September 4, 2017January 10, 2024 by Mark Handley

Netherlands – fine and custodial sentence imposed for breach of Iran sanctions.

The District Court of East Brabant has convicted an individual for breaches of the EU’s Iran sanctions.

The defendant had traded for 2 years with a designated Iranian entity. The unspecified goods had been shipped via intermediary countries Turkey and Dubai.

He was sentenced to 16 months in jail, with a further 4 months suspended subject to a two-year probation period. He was also fined €500,000. The fine was on the individual personally and not on the company through which he traded.

May 10, 2017January 10, 2024 by Mark Handley

Netherlands – investigation into trust office ongoing

It is being reported in the Netherlands that the Dutch authorities are undertaking an investigation into trust companies within the BK Group for alleged breaches of the EU’s misappropriation sanctions in relation to the Ukraine.

April 24, 2017January 10, 2024 by Mark Handley

Netherlands – airline fined €40,000 for export of military goods

The District Court of Noord-Holland has today fined a fine of €40,000 on the Dutch airline KLM for its role in the unlicensed export of goods on the EU’s military list from the South African to Ecuador via the Netherlands.

The judgment noted that subsequent investigation had revealed 74 shipments where the required reporting had not been complied with.

April 24, 2017January 10, 2024 by Mark Handley

Netherlands – €50,000 fine for unlicensed exports to Saudi Arabia

A District Court in the Netherlands has imposed a €50,000 fine on logistics provider for its part in the unlicensed export of military goods to Saudi Arabia.

No export licence had been applied for. The value of the contracts is stated to have been US$14 million.

April 21, 2017January 10, 2024 by Mark Handley

Netherlands – 19 year jail term imposed on appeal

The Court of Appeal in Hertogenbosch has upheld and extended the conviction and sentence imposed on an individual for breaches of the EU’s Liberian sanctions.

Amongst other offences, the defendant had supplied arms and munitions to the government of Charles Taylor in breach of sanctions.

At first instance he had been acquitted of some charges and sentenced to 8 years in jail. Both the defendant and the public prosecutor appealed.

On appeal all charges were found proven and a sentence of 19 years was imposed.

April 14, 2017January 10, 2024 by Mark Handley

Netherlands – Dutch National Bank’s fine of trust office upheld on appeal

The District Court of Rotterdam has dismissed an appeal by a trust office against a penalty imposed by the Dutch National Bank.

The penalty was imposed for KYC failings by the trust office specifically in the context of sanctions screening and compliance, including insufficient investigation of the origin of the assets within certain trusts.

The size of the fine is not mentioned in the appeal judgment.

March 14, 2017January 11, 2024 by Mark Handley

Netherlands – two-year sentence for breach of Al Qaida sanctions

The Court of Appeal in the Hague has upheld the conviction of a man for breaches of the EU’s Al-Qaida/ISIS and Terrorism sanctions.

The individual had transferred €17,000 to his brother who was fighting for ISIS in Syria.

The man was sentenced to 10 months in jail with a further 14 months suspended subject to a three-year probation period.