Germany arrests businessman suspected of selling drone engines to Russia

A businessman from Germany's centre was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of supplying Russia with engines for Orlan-10 drones in violation of sanctions, and he is under investigation.

Source: AFP with reference to the Prosecutor's Office in Frankfurt am Main and the Main Customs Office in Bonn, European Pravda reports

Details: In 2022 and 2023, the perpetrator reportedly supplied aircraft engine models, electronic components and other materials through an intermediary in Hong Kong to a St. Petersburg-based company.

According to the investigation, the aircraft engines of the model that the German entrepreneur sold to Russia are used, in particular, in Russian-made Orlan-10 reconnaissance UAVs. The Russian forces use them in the war against Ukraine to adjust artillery fire.

Investigators of the Customs Office's Criminal Investigation Department seized a total of 120 such engines from the company of the accused individual back in the summer of 2023, thus preventing possible exports to Russia.

In addition, the businessman is accused of illegally exporting two expensive cars from Germany. They were also allegedly imported into Russia via Hong Kong, which violates the EU sanctions regime.

The report says the value of all reportedly exported goods is about two million euros.  German law enforcement officers also searched six residential and office premises associated with the accused man.

Background:

• At the beginning of the year, German law enforcement officers drew attention to the fact that Russia's neighbouring countries are buying more and more German goods, probably bypassing Western sanctions, while selling them to Moscow.
• Such cases have recently been recorded, among others, by the Czech Security and Information Service.

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