Dutch authorities have arrested three people suspected of helping Russia circumvent European sanctions. This happened as part of an investigation into an international smuggling network.
Politico writes about it.
The Dutch Fiscal Information and Investigation Service reported the arrest, which took place on January 9. Raids were also conducted in Estonia, Latvia, Germany and Canada.
The investigation of the case began at the end of 2023. It exposed a network of enterprises used to circumvent sanctions on exports to Russia. The businesses centered around a Dutch-registered trading company set up in 2017 to import, export and sell electrical and laboratory equipment that could be used for military purposes. The company is managed by its sole shareholder from Russia.
Two suspects were administrators of this company. The third suspect is an employee of an external contractor who allegedly knew about the violation of the export ban.
Since the beginning of the full-scale war, the EU has imposed sanctions on Russia, but they have loopholes. Each new sanctions package tries to reduce the number of options for circumventing the restrictions.
- In October 2023 , a 56-year-old businessman from Russia was imprisoned for 18 months in the Netherlands for violating sanctions — he sold microchips to the Russian Federation through his own company.
- Last September , an official of the Ministry of Defense was arrested in the Netherlands on charges of exporting aircraft parts to Russia through third countries to circumvent EU sanctions.