German Police Raids on Properties Linked to Russian Oligarch Targeted by EU Sanctions
German Police launch raids on properties tied to Russian oligarch subject to EU sanctions. Get the full story here.
In a recent development, German police Raids law enforcement and customs authorities at multiple locations in the southern region of Germany. These targeted properties are reported to be associated with an individual of Russian nationality. This individual has reportedly come under the scrutiny of European Union sanctions due to Russia’s involvement in the conflict in Ukraine.
According to information provided to Reuters, a search operation was conducted with Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, a Russian-Uzbek entrepreneur, as its focal point.
There can be no reason for suspicion against Mr Alisher Usmanov, who has always duly declared the personal property that was lawfully acquired by him, in addition to disclosing the funds with which he acquired these assets,” said a spokesperson for Usmanov in response to a Reuters’ request for comment.
According to the spokesperson, it has been clarified that Alisher Usmanov is not the proprietor of the trust he established and does not possess any authority to oversee or administer its resources.
“As such, he has no way of knowing what is currently happening to the property owned by the trust.”
In a recent development, a specialised commission known as “Matryoshka,” appointed by the German Police Raids customs authority’s sanctions office, has officially reported that its officers conducted searches at various locations in greater Munich and Tegernsee in Bavaria.
In September 2022, German law enforcement conducted a search of Alisher Usmanov’s residence situated in the resort town of Rottach-Egern, located along the shores of Lake Tegernsee. Subsequently, a court ruled that the raids were deemed to be in violation of the law.
The specialized commission of the German customs authority has confirmed its actions in response to court-issued search warrants. Due to tactical considerations, the commission has refrained from providing additional details regarding the operation.
German Police Raids on Other Properties Linked to Russian Oligarch Alisher Usmanov
On Thursday, a villa in Bavaria owned by Alisher Usmanov, a Russian-Uzbek businessman, and oligarch, who has been subjected to sanctions by the European Union due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, was subjected to a raid by German police, tax investigators, and customs agents. The search was conducted in accordance with a court order, and it was carried out because Usmanov is subject to EU sanctions that include asset seizures, which were imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Officials conducted a raid on a villa situated in Rottach-Egern, an affluent resort town nestled along the picturesque Tegernsee lake in the Bavarian Alps. This town is located approximately 31 miles to the southeast of Munich.
Approximately 30 investigators executed a search at a villa owned by a Russian individual who had been subject to sanctions. Concurrently, raids were conducted at other properties owned by this individual, both on the Tegernsee lake and within Munich.
European Union regulations mandate the freezing of all assets belonging to individuals under sanctions, prohibiting any transfer or disposal of these assets. Additionally, such sanctions also encompass travel bans that restrict the movement of the sanctioned individuals.
