Estonian law enforcement officers detained the container ship Baltic Spirit with 23 Russian citizens on board near Naissaar Island. The vessel is suspected of smuggling from South America, not of violating sanctions.
Estonian law enforcement agencies conducted a large-scale special operation in the country's internal waters, detaining the cargo ship Baltic Spirit. The container ship, flying the flag of the Bahamas and en route from Ecuador to St. Petersburg, is suspected of involvement in the smuggling of narcotics or prohibited goods. This was reported by ERR, writes UNN.
Details
The detention took place on Tuesday at 5:10 PM near Naissaar Island with the participation of more than 50 employees from various departments. The Estonian special unit K-komando used a helicopter from the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) to board the vessel, while support from the sea was provided by Estonian Navy ships Raju and Admiral Cowan.
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The vessel entered Estonian waters for bunkering (refueling) and was at an official anchorage when the assault began.
The operation went smoothly. The task of K-komando in such situations is always to board the vessel and provide initial backup.
– explained Marek Aas, head of the special unit.
Photo: PPA
He added that the ship's crew, consisting entirely of 23 Russian citizens, did not resist and expressed their readiness to cooperate with the investigation.
Suspicion of smuggling, not sanctions violation
Despite the Baltic Spirit heading to Russia, Estonian authorities denied any connection between the detention and the EU sanctions regime or the vessel's affiliation with the so-called "shadow fleet." The main focus of the investigation is smuggling from South America. The investigative department of the Tax and Customs Board (NTD) has already begun an initial inspection of the cargo directly on board the 188-meter giant.
Photo: PPA
Currently, the vessel remains at anchor, but it will later be moved to port for a thorough inspection of each container. Law enforcement officials note that due to the large volume of cargo and the complexity of inspecting refrigerated sections, the investigation could take a significant amount of time. Experts do not rule out that a large consignment of drugs may be hidden on board, given the specifics of the route from Ecuador.
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