Customs uncovers criminal case relating to circumvention of EU sanctions involving more than three million euros
Customs has investigated a criminal case involving a suspicion of EU-sanctioned products exported by two Finnish companies ending up in Russia. In the cases that Customs has investigated, products were transited through Russia and cleared for export to other locations. The products comprised electronics, drones and equipment classified as defence materiel.
During this time, the European Union has initiated extensive sanctions against Russia due to the war of attack in Ukraine. The aim of the sanctions is to impact Russia’s economic, technical and military capabilities. With the latest sanctions packages, the EU has particularly sought to prevent the circumvention of sanctions. The EU has also extended the scope of sanctioned goods in all sanctions packages.
Customs investigated an aggravated regulation offence and an export offence involving defence materiel
Customs has investigated two Finnish companies with regard to more than thirty occasions of export or attempted export involving sanctioned products, such as microcontrollers and semiconductor devices. Customs suspects that these products, worth more than 600 000 euros, have ended up in Russia.
Furthermore, Customs suspects that almost 3 500 unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, have ended up in Russia. The products had been cleared for export to another country. The drones were worth more than two million euros.
The same criminal case also involves a suspected transit to Kazakhstan of equipment designed for stopping drones that is classified as defence materiel. The transit of the products that took place in spring 2023 would have required a permit for transiting defence materiel; however, the company in question did not apply for such a permit. Customs suspects that also these products with a total value of 350 000 euros ended up in Russia.
Activity run from abroad
One individual is responsible for both of the companies under investigation. Customs suspects that one of the companies saw to acquisitions and was tasked with purchasing sanctioned products. Correspondingly, the other company under investigation saw to forwarding the goods to Russia.
– Our preliminary investigation indicates that the activity has been run in Russia. The scenario was based on an extensive network of internationally operated businesses through which the activity was funded, for example from Russia, says Hannu Sinkkonen, Director of Enforcement.
– In the preliminary investigation, we have cooperated with authorities in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as with Europol, the EU law enforcement authority. Domestically, we have cooperated especially with the Security and Intelligence Service, Mr Sinkkonen says.
The investigated criminal cases have entailed an aggravated regulation offence and an export offence involving defence materiel. There are altogether six criminal suspects, one of whom has been detained since September.
The case will undergo consideration of charges in December 2023.
7 December 2023: Text in English amended as regards the paragraph on drones for alignment with the original media release in Finnish.