Russia-Bound Cargo Ship Seized At Rotterdam Port, Captain Arrested On Sanctions Evasion Charge

Dutch customs police at the Port of Rotterdam seized a cargo ship bound for Russia and arrested the captain on charges of evading Western sanctions.

The vessel regularly operated between Rotterdam and St. Petersburg and carried several containers filled with vehicle parts such as doors, air filters and windshields.

A customs officer said that the export of such cargo is banned under European sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

Though the parts could be for commercial cars, they could also be used for trucks heading to the war zone, the officer explained.

Machinery parts, technological components and anything which could aid Moscow’s war industry are prohibited from reaching Russia, as they can have military use.

Europol’s Target Group on Sanctions, the Rotterdam Port Police, the Dutch financial intelligence unit FIOD and the Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) coordinated to conduct this operation.

Officers also inspected the ship at the port warehouse for an investigation being led by the Customs Precursors, Strategic Goods and Sanctions Legislation (POSS) Team and the Functional Public Prosecutor’s Office.

The ship’s captain was also taken into custody on suspicion of criminal offences.

“This is a complex investigation, and I have no doubt not a unique one, but more so a trend that we will be seeing more and more as Member States initiate similar investigations and actions,” said Lucy Myles, Europol’s financial crime team leader.