Sweden has lifted the arrest of the captain of a vessel detained under sanctions
In Sweden, a prosecutor has lifted the arrest of the Russian captain of the dry cargo ship Caffa.
The vessel itself, which was detained by the coast guard on suspicion of violating international shipping regulations, remains under a ban on operation.
This was reported by the Sweden Herald.
The captain of the Caffa had been in custody since March 10 on suspicion of using a forged document with aggravating circumstances
Prosecutor Adrien Combier-Hogg stated that forged documents were used, specifically those certifying the vessel’s registration under the Guinean flag. However, the prosecutor noted in a press release that, despite extensive investigative efforts, it was not possible to prove that the vessel’s captain was aware of this.
The investigation into the vessel is ongoing, and, according to representatives of the Swedish Prosecutor’s Office, the primary focus is on gathering evidence that could serve as the basis for a so-called special legal action aimed at confiscating the forged documents, i.e., their destruction.
The use of the Caffa was banned due to safety deficiencies. This ban remains in effect, said Mikael Andersson, press secretary for the Swedish Transport Agency.
“Of course, work is currently underway to address the deficiencies. As soon as they are resolved, we will visit the vessel again to ensure everything is functioning properly, but we haven’t reached that point yet,” said Andersson.
As a reminder, Swedenfined the captain of the bulk carrier for polluting the Baltic Sea with coal.
While patrolling the Baltic Sea, a Swedish Coast Guard aircraft spotted the bulk carrier “Hui Yuan,” which, according to preliminary data, was discharging coal waste. The Panama-flagged vessel had recently arrived from Russia and was heading to the Spanish port of Las Palmas.
Earlier, Sweden detained a sanctioned tanker due to an oil spill.
The U.S. military intercepted another oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea, continuing its campaign to pressure vessels involved in oil shipments that circumvent U.S. sanctions against Venezuela.
