This year we witnessed a comprehensive set of multilateral sanctions issued on a major global economy, Russia. The US, UK and other countries have also hopped o
This is how UN, EU and national sanctions are applicable in the ordinary course of business.
To what extent are sanctions applicable in the non-financial sector?
A Maltese businessman chartered a vessel he owned and agreed to hand over the vessel without delving into what was going to be transported. Following further documentation requested by the bank that was handling the inward payment, it transpired that the goods on board the vessel were in violation of EU sanctions.
The bank informed the Sanctions Monitoring Board (SMB) and the police were brought in. The businessman was charged with breach of sanctions and had all his assets frozen. He is facing criminal action punishable with either imprisonment or a fine or both.
Dummy AK-47 assault rifles en route to Libya intercepted by Malta customs
Malta customs intercepted 900 dummy AK-47 assault rifle replicas in a container en route to Libya
20 April 2021, 3:38pm
by Laura Calleja
Customs officials have seized a container with dummy AK-47 assault rifles en route to Libya.
The 900 replica rifles were found inside a cargo declared as ‘crafts’, which was physically inspected at Malta Freeport.
The AK-47 replicas were of the same shape and approximate weight as the proper weapons and are suspected to be intended as training rifles used for drill, assault courses and weapon possession familiarisation.
“Investigations by the Customs Department led to the referral of the case to the Sanctions Monitoring Board, and following consultation with the UN Panel of Experts on Libya, the Customs Department, acting in terms of article 6(5) of the National Interest (Enabling Powers) Act, is proceeding with the formal seizure of the said cargo, by the Cu