Circumvention: Dutch authorities arrest three
Authorities in the Netherlands have arrested three individuals ‘suspected of circumventing and violating sanctions legislation against Russia by being part of an international smuggling network.’
The Fiscal Information and Investigation Service (Fiscale inlichtingen- en opsporingsdienst, ‘FIOD’) crime watchdog said the three, two men and a woman and all in their mid-50s, were picked up on suspicion of illegally exporting ‘technological and laboratory goods that could also be used for military purposes.’
The trio formed a company in 2017 that bought goods in Europe which were then transported to Russia via countries in Eastern Europe, said the FIOD, which started a criminal investigation after several reports. The two men under arrest were both directors of the company and the woman ‘was also involved in the circumvention,’ it said.
The arrests were part of coordinated searches and interrogations in Germany, Latvia, Lithuania and Canada which took place with support from Eurojust, the European prosecution authority.
Dutch authorities did not release the names of the suspects or the company, but Dutch news reports identified the firm as Voorschoten-based ETW-Tekhnologiya BV.
Last month, Dutch public broadcaster NOS reported the company had been sending millions of euros worth of technical equipment to Russia in violation of sanctions.
https://www.fiod.nl/drie-aanhoudingen-in-onderzoek-naar-omzeiling-sanctiewetgeving/
