Two arrested in Netherlands for importing sanctioned Russian timber

Authorities in the Netherlands have arrested two people suspected of circumventing EU sanctions by importing Russian timber through suppliers in China.

The Fiscal Information and Investigation Service (‘FIOD’) said a 73-year-old man and a woman, aged 46, are ‘directors of two companies and are suspected of purchasing and importing Russian timber in violation of trade restrictions imposed by the sanctions.’

Without any other details, the FIOD said the two ‘are also suspected of circumventing the sanctions law by purchasing Russian wood through Chinese suppliers.’ Their homes and businesses in the town of Ridderkerk have been searched and bank accounts, homes and wood stock have been seized.

The EU imposed a ban on Russian timber imports in April 2022, which it began to vigorously enforce in July 2022.

Nevertheless, tons of Russian timber continue to illegally flow into the European market, the International Consortium of Journalists (‘ICIJ’) said in March, shortly after media reports that at least 261 tonnes of timber were imported into Belgium from Russia following the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.