It has been reported today that the German authorities have conducted raids across Germany as part of investigations into alleged exports of chemicals to Russia in breach of EU sanctions.
The raids included the premises of the companies Riol Chemie GmbH and R.R. Rhein Reserve GmbH.
It is alleged that more than 30 separate exports have taken place in the last three or so years, and that the chemicals could be used to make chemical weapons including Novichok.
HMRC has announced that British national Alexander George has been ordered to pay £700,000 in a confiscation order issued by the Southwark Crown Court. The funds are the proceeds of crime related to his conviction for exporting parts for jet fighters to Iran.
For more on his conviction back in 2018 see our earlier post.
The Spanish maritime authorities have refused port access to the tanker Black Star alleging that it took on board Russian cargo from the Russian-flagged vessel Andrey Pervozvanniy, in a ship-to-ship transfer near Malta.
It has been reported that the Italian parliamentary intelligence committee, known as Copasair, is investigating a number of Italian companies suspected of breaching the EU’s sanctions against Russia.
No information has been published on the companies being investigated or the nature of the alleged offending.
It has been reported today that the Greek coastguard has seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker in Greek waters, as part of the enforcement of the EU’s Russian sanctions.
The tanker is named as the Pegas, although it recently changed its named to the Lana.
The Police of Finland have today announced an investigation in alleged breaches of the EU sanctions ban on Russian flights in EU airspace.
The investigation relates to four passenger aircraft which entered Finnish airspace.
The investigation is being jointly conducted with the Finnish Defence Forces and the Border Guard.
The German Ministry of Economy has launched an investigation into whether engineering company Bosch has made unlawful exports to Russian in breach of EU sanctions.
Further to our earlier post, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office has issued a press release confirming the indictment of Alexander S. on further charges relating to the export of dual-use goods to Russia in breach of EU sanctions.
The value of the exports is estimated at over €1 million.
The press release documents warning issued to Alexander S by the German authorities and his efforts to circumvent the prohibitions through falsifying documents and arranging for export from an Asian country.
It is being reported today that the Hamburg Public Prosecutor’s Office is currently investigating five individuals in relation to the export from Germany to Crimea of gas turbines manufactured by Siemens.
The broader investigation into the export of these turbines has been ongoing since 2018. See our earlier post.
Four of the individuals being investigated are German nationals, three of whom worked for Siemens in Russia, and the fifth is a Swiss national.
Two Danish companies have been convicted of exporting 177,000 tonnes of jet fuel to Syria in breach of the EU’s sanctions.
In total some 33 transactions took place between 2015 and 2017, with the exports routed through Russian companies bound for Syria.
The company Dan-Bunkering was fined DKK 30 million ($4.6m), with a further DKK 15 million of unlawful profits confiscated.
The parent company Bunker Holding was fined DKK 4 million.
The Dan Bunkering CEO was also convicted and given a four-month custodial sentence , suspended pending a one year probation period.
