Lithuanian customs uncovers 'particularly audacious' scheme to circumvent sanctions against Russia

By&nbspEuronews

Published connected 23/08/2025 - 14:45 GMT+2 •Updated 14:46

The criminal work of nan Lithuanian Customs Department reported nan detention of 11 group connected suspicion of violating nan authorities of world sanctions against Russia.

The agency said successful a connection that it had uncovered "a peculiarly audacious strategy to circumvent world sanctions against Russia".

The cognition was carried retired successful co-operation pinch rule enforcement agencies successful Portugal and Bulgaria and successful co-ordination pinch Eurojust and Europol.

According to nan investigation, nan institution developed a analyzable protector strategy to proviso Russia pinch h2o curen instrumentality intended for usage by Russian lipid manufacture enterprises.

The general customer and recipient of nan Kaunas company's equipment was a institution from Portugal. However, nan equipment were really transported to Bulgaria, from wherever they were to beryllium delivered to Turkey and past to Russia.

"The h2o purification instrumentality was designed, assembled and manufactured from components produced successful nan EU and China. This instrumentality was intended for circumstantial business accommodation successful Russia. The Kaunas institution itself, which has adjacent and imperishable relations pinch economical entities operating successful Russia, actively participated successful projects realised successful Russia. One of specified projects is related to a Russian group of companies, which is among nan world's fastest increasing petrochemical companies," nan charismatic connection said.

Eleven labor of nan Kaunas-based patient were detained, including its managers, arsenic good arsenic drivers who are Moldovan and Bulgarian citizens. During nan search, respective tonnes of instrumentality worthy astir €2 cardinal were seized. Two trucks pinch nan above-mentioned instrumentality were besides detained: 1 successful Kaunas, nan different connected nan measurement to nan Lithuanian-Polish border. A 3rd consignment was detained successful Bulgaria.

After interrogation, nan suspects were released, 2 of them were issued preventive measures - a written undertaking not to time off nan country.

In co-operation pinch Portuguese and Bulgarian constabulary officers, searches were besides carried retired successful those countries. In Portugal - astatine nan fictitious recipient of nan filtration equipment, and successful Bulgaria - astatine nan cargo terminal - nan storage wherever nan Kaunas company's products are stored.

The pre-trial investigation into nan usurpation of world sanctions, which is being conducted by nan Kaunas Regional Prosecutor's Office, is ongoing.