🔎 Criminal Investigation into Dutch Shipping Company
The Public Prosecutor's Office is investigating a Dutch shipping company for violating the arms embargo against Libya. A ship from Shipping Company Groningen tried to transport armored vehicles to Libya but was caught.
💥 Violation of Arms Embargo
On October 11, 2022, the Dutch cargo ship, the MV Meerdijk, was intercepted by a naval ship of the military EU mission IRINI. The cargo was destined for Benghazi, a coastal town held by rebel general Khalifa Haftar.
📜 Discrepancies Noted
UN supervisors discovered that an 'end-user statement' was missing in the MV Meerdijk's administration. Shipping Company Groningen did not respond when asked for clarification.
🚛 More Seizures
Besides the 41 armored vehicles on the MV Meerdijk, more than 100 converted Toyota all-terrain vehicles were seized on another ship. In total, 146 military vehicles have been seized under the flag of EU mission IRINI.
🇺🇦 Vehicles to Ukraine
VVD Member of the European Parliament Bart Groothuis proposes donating the seized vehicles to Ukraine, similar to the US donating seized weapons intended for Yemen. The proposal is supported by influential Members of the European Parliament.
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