70 Dutch companies, people punished for violating Russia sanctions; 40 cases ongoing

In the three years since Russia invaded Ukraine and the European Union expanded its sanctions against the invaders, the Netherlands has punished at least 70 companies and individuals for violating the sanctions. Another 40 cases are still ongoing, AD reports based on figures from Customs and the Fiscal Intelligence and Investigation Service (FIOD).

The FIOD picked up 30 cases in three years. In six of these, the courts have already convicted companies and individuals, imposing fines and prison sentences of up to 32 months. Twenty investigations are ongoing.

Customs has picked up 80 cases. Of these, 64 were settled with a fine ranging between 500 and 200,000 euros. Sixteen cases are still ongoing.

It is hard to say exactly how many companies and individuals have been punished as a case can involve multiple suspects. The authorities stressed to AD that the violations are not always deliberate.

With 115 cases in three years, the Dutch authorities believe their efforts are making a difference. Enforcing the sanctions is like “throwing sand in the engine of the Russian war machine,” a FIOD spokesperson told AD.

“The question is what would happen if the sanctions had not been there,” a spokesperson for the Public Prosecution Service (OM) told the newspaper. “Every microchip we have removed saves one life in Ukraine. That is how I always see it. And that automatically makes this worthwhile.”

Lawyer, sanctions expert, and Russia expert Heleen over de Linden agrees that the sanctions are having an impact. “Putin says that they do not affect Russia, but that is not true. The export volumes of oil and other raw materials have fallen dramatically.” That has not led to the collapse of the Russian economy as was perhaps hoped, but the measures are “useful and necessary,” she said. “Without sanctions, with an economy running at maximum capacity, Putin would probably have had a much larger part of Ukraine.”