Another captain of the grain-stealing vessel “Usko MFU” was informed of the suspicion
26.09.2024 - 09:29
Bulk carrier “Usko MFU” was detained on the Danube. The vessel was on its way from Moldova when it was intercepted at the request of the Crimean prosecutor’s office.
The Prosecutor’s Office of Crimea informed the captain of the vessel “Usko MFU” under the flag of Cameroon of suspicion. He is accused of illegally exporting Ukrainian agricultural products, the Prosecutor’s Office reported.
Thus, in October 2023, a foreign citizen, driving the vessel “Usko MFU”, in violation of Ukrainian legislation and norms of international maritime law, made an illegal entry into the closed port of Sevastopol. There, more than 3,000 tons of agricultural products for one of the Turkish companies were loaded onto the ship.
In order to hide his illegal activities, the captain periodically turned off the AIS and entered fictitious information about the ship’s course into it.
The captain was indicted for violating the order of entering the temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine and leaving it with the purpose of harming the interests of the state, committed repeatedly (Part 2 of Article 332-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The suspect faces up to 5 years in prison.
It will be recalled that in July 2024, a ship-thief was detained in the water area of the port of Reni, Odesa region. On the basis of the court order, he was arrested and handed over to the ARMA administration.
Earlier, another captain of this vessel, who illegally entered the port of Sevastopol in June of this year, was informed of the suspicion.
