Swedish police have detained a cargo vessel in Baltic Sea waters after discovering it was operating under fraudulent documentation. The ship, carrying a mostly Russian crew, is suspected of maritime law violations and may be linked to Ukraine sanctions.
STOCKHOLM – Swedish authorities have detained a cargo vessel in Baltic Sea waters after determining the ship was operating under fraudulent flag documentation, police announced Saturday.
The vessel, identified as the Caffa, was intercepted by Swedish police and coast guard forces on Friday amid suspicions of maritime law violations. Johan Andersson, deputy chief of the police National Operations Department, revealed during a Saturday press briefing that one crew member has been formally notified of suspected legal violations.
According to Andersson, the investigation has revealed significant concerns about the vessel’s seaworthiness and compliance with safety regulations.
“Our investigation so far strengthens our suspicions and our opinion that this ship has extensive sea safety deficiencies,” Andersson stated during the press conference.
The deputy police chief also disclosed potential connections to international sanctions, saying “We also have information that the vessel would be on the Ukraine sanctions list.”
The Caffa, which maritime tracking data shows as a 96-meter cargo vessel, was initially documented as flying under Guinea’s flag. However, Swedish authorities determined this documentation was fraudulent, effectively making the ship stateless at the time of seizure.
Andersson confirmed that the majority of the vessel’s 11-person crew are Russian nationals. The ship was intercepted in waters off Sweden’s southern coast during routine maritime monitoring operations.
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