STOCKHOLM – Swedish maritime authorities detained a vessel Sunday that officials believe is operating as part of Russia’s covert tanker network designed to circumvent international sanctions, marking another step in European efforts to crack down on Moscow’s illicit shipping operations.
Maritime officials and police forces boarded the vessel Jin Hui, which flies a Syrian flag, after it entered Swedish waters near Trelleborg. Authorities have launched an investigation into whether the ship meets international safety standards.
“The coast guard suspects that the ship is sailing under a false flag, given there are a number of irregularities concerning its flag status, and therefore does not meet demands for seaworthiness as set out in international regulations and agreements,” Swedish Coast Guard officials stated.
The vessel, traveling without cargo and with an unknown destination, appears on multiple international sanctions lists maintained by both the European Union and Britain, according to maritime authorities.
Swedish Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin confirmed on social media that officials suspect the tanker belongs to Russia’s covert shipping network.
European authorities have intensified their campaign against Moscow’s fleet of vessels used to generate revenue for its ongoing military campaign in Ukraine, now in its fourth year. Russian officials have criticized these enforcement actions as aggressive moves.
Swedish maritime forces have intercepted five ships this year on various violations, including environmental damage from oil spills and fraudulent flag operations, with some crew members facing criminal charges.
