UK charges captain of detained tanker Smyrtos with sanctions offence

The UK National Crime Agency charged Ajay Pant, an Indian national and captain of the tanker Smyrtos, with contravening sanctions, MarineLink reported on 15 June. The charge alleges he directly or indirectly supplied or delivered prohibited Russian oil or oil products by ship to a third country. He was due to appear at Southampton Magistrates' Court on 16 June. The Cameroon-flagged vessel, described in the report as a sanctioned Russian oil tanker, had been boarded by British commandos in the English Channel the previous day and detained. The report noted that the UK has sanctioned about 600 vessels it links to Russia's shadow fleet.

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