Dutch authorities have arrested a man suspected of supplying microchips to Russia, violating trade restrictions imposed on Moscow by the European Union due to the invasion of Ukraine, officials said on Friday.
The microchips, which were allegedly supplied to companies and entities in Russia, can be used for the production of weapons, according to a statement from the Netherlands Tax Information and Investigation Service (FIOD).
Shortage of microchips in the Russian army
The suspect has dual nationality, Russian and Dutch, a FIOD spokeswoman told AFP. “It is known that the Russian arms industry is currently struggling with a severe shortage of these microchips,” FIOD said in a statement.
“The FIOD intervened in order to stop these deliveries and conduct a deeper investigation into the possible criminal acts of the suspect,” it added.
The 55-year-old man was arrested on September 27, the FIOD said, seized from a bank report to the Financial Intelligence Unit (CRF).
The suspect’s private and professional bank accounts, administration and a commercial stock of electronic products were seized, according to the FIOD, which worked in cooperation with customs and with the support of Europol.
Deprive “the Kremlin military complex”
“The suspect probably deliberately simulated that these goods had a destination other than the actual final destination, Russia, in order to circumvent the sanctions imposed,” FIOD explained.
Europol said in a statement that the man, who resides in the eastern Netherlands, is suspected of having “evaded EU trade sanctions against Russia”.
Western countries have imposed crushing sanctions on Russia since its invasion of Ukraine on February 24. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said last month ahead of a new round of sanctions that “the goal here is to deprive the Kremlin military complex of key technologies.”
Source: BFM TV
