Raids carried out in Germany and Austria in a case involving vehicle shipments to Russia

Raids were carried out at the suspects’ homes and offices. The Kaiserslautern court, at the request of the prosecutor’s office, seized assets worth about 7 million euros.

Bank accounts in Germany, Austria, and Belgium were frozen for a total of 278,000 euros. In Neustadt an der Weinstraße, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz cars were seized, and in Vienna, 85,000 euros in cash were confiscated.

At the entrepreneur from Neustadt, investigators also found and seized three hunting rifles and ammunition; this is related to a violation of weapons law.

The investigation is being conducted by the authorities of Germany, Austria, and Belgium. According to investigators, from autumn 2022 until the end of 2024, two businessmen exported 53 passenger cars and six tractor units to Russia in violation of sanctions.

Investigators believe that, to conceal the shipments, the cars were transported through neighboring countries, including Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Georgia. In March 2022, the EU banned the export of cars worth more than 50,000 euros to Russia, and in June 2023 — the export of electric and hybrid vehicles.

Sources

• Radio Liberty