The Criminal Service of the Lithuanian Customs Department reported the uncovering of an "especially audacious" scheme to circumvent international sanctions against Russia, organized by 11 individuals. This was reported by Euronews, writes UNN.
Details
The operation was conducted in cooperation with law enforcement agencies of Portugal, Bulgaria, and in coordination with Eurojust and Europol.
According to the investigation, a company from Kaunas, owned by the suspects, developed a complex shadow scheme for supplying water purification equipment to Russia, which was actually used by Russian oil industry enterprises.
The formal customer and recipient of the Lithuanian company's goods was a company from Portugal. However, in reality, the goods were transported to Bulgaria, from where they were then delivered to Turkey, and then to Russia.
The water purification equipment was designed, assembled, and manufactured from components produced in the EU and China. This equipment was intended for specific industrial facilities in Russia. The Kaunas company itself, having close and constant ties with economic entities operating in Russia, actively participated in projects implemented in Russia. One such project is related to a Russian group of companies, which is among the fastest-growing global petrochemical companies
In connection with this, 11 employees of the Kaunas firm, including its managers, and drivers who are citizens of Moldova and Bulgaria, were detained. During the search, several tons of equipment worth about €2 million were seized. Two trucks with the aforementioned equipment were also detained: one in Kaunas, the second - on the way to the Lithuanian-Polish border. A third batch was detained in Bulgaria. After questioning, the suspects were released, two of them were given preventive measures - a written undertaking not to leave the country.
In cooperation with law enforcement agencies of Portugal and Bulgaria, searches were also conducted in these countries: in Portugal - at the fictitious recipient of filtration equipment, and in Bulgaria - at a cargo terminal-warehouse where products of the Kaunas company are stored. The pre-trial investigation into the violation of international sanctions, led by the Kaunas Regional Prosecutor's Office, is ongoing.