"The man is suspected of having presented and referred to several suspected false maritime certificates when the Coast Guard searched the ship. We are now questioning the suspect and others involved. Swedish prosecutor Adrien Combier-Hogg emphasized the investigation into fraudulent documentation discovered during the vessel's inspection."
"The ownership structure is unclear and there are suspicions that the vessel is not insured. It is serious that ships sailing in Swedish waters have such deficiencies that they pose a threat to maritime safety and maritime traffic, our shipping lanes and ports and, not least, to the environment."
"Swedish officials believe the ship is listed among those subject to Ukrainian sanctions for transporting stolen grain—part of the estimated 15 million tons of grain that Ukraine claims Russia has taken since 2022, indicating involvement in illicit cargo operations."
Swedish prosecutors arrested the captain of the cargo ship Caffa during Operation Black Coffee after the vessel was seized in Swedish waters off Trelleborg. The captain faces charges for presenting false maritime certificates and violating Sweden's Maritime Act and Ship Safety Act. The Russian-flagged ship, which flies a Guinean flag, had a primarily Russian crew and was headed for St. Petersburg. Authorities suspect the vessel is part of a shadow fleet transporting stolen Ukrainian grain, part of an estimated 15 million tons taken since 2022. The Swedish Transport Agency issued an international operating ban due to seaworthiness concerns, unclear ownership, and suspected lack of insurance. Baltic and North Sea nations have intensified scrutiny of Russian shipping operations.
#russian-shadow-fleet #maritime-fraud #ukrainian-grain-theft #swedish-maritime-enforcement #international-sanctions
Read at London Business News | Londonlovesbusiness.com
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