Finnlines refutes the suspicions of crime
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In connection with the press release of Finnish Customs published on 17th of October, according to which the Finnish Customs Investigation Service has completed the preliminary investigation which it started in January 2013 into an export offence involving defence materiel and a rationing offence, Finnlines refutes the suspicions of crime, IAA PortNews learnt from the company.
«Finnlines has no other comment at the moment except that Finnlines and its organisation have supported and assisted the Customs in all possible ways in this matter and continues to give all assistance», the company states.
The suspicions are denied in their entirety. Finnlines wants to emphasize that it was Finnlines' own checking procedures during the transit of the container on board that revealed the content of the container in question after which Finnlines immediately informed the Customs by its own initiative.
According to the press release published by the Finnish Customs, in the preliminary investigation, ten persons were questioned as suspects. All of the persons are Finnish citizens. The matter has been forwarded to the Prosecutor’s Office of Helsinki for consideration of charges.
On 8 January 2013, a container was unloaded from the Finnlines ship M/S Finnsun at Vuosaari Harbour. According to manifest information, the container was en route to Syria. The container was returned to Finland onboard a Finnlines ship from the Port of Antwerp due to irregularities. Helsinki Customs inspected the container at Vuosaari Harbour on 8-9 January 2013. Customs investigation authorities and an expert from the Finnish Defence Forces also took part in the inspection.
The investigation has revealed that the container was being transited from Russia to Central Europe via Finland and onwards to Latakia, Syria. The unloaded container contained 27 packages and the gross weight of the consignment was 9 627 kg. According to expert statements obtained from the Ministry of Defence in the investigation of the matter, the goods in the container are tank spare parts which the Customs Investigation Service seized in connection with the investigation. The spare parts remain under seizure according to the decision by the District Court of Helsinki.
Finnlines is one of the biggest shipping operators of ro-ro and passenger services in Northern Europe.