The Swedish Prosecution Authority has arrested the Russian captain of the cargo ship “Caffa,” which was seized in Swedish waters on March 6 during “Operation Black Coffee.”
The captain is facing charges of using false documents and violating Sweden’s Maritime Act and Ship Safety Act.
The vessel, which flies a Guinean flag despite being Russian-owned, was boarded off the coast of Trelleborg in southern Sweden.
“The man is suspected of having presented and referred to several suspected false maritime certificates when the Coast Guard searched the ship. We are now questioning the suspect and others involved,” Swedish prosecutor Adrien Combier-Hogg said, the Kyiv Post reported.
Authorities have stated that the ship’s crew is mainly Russian, and documents indicate that it was headed for St. Petersburg.
Swedish officials believe the ship is listed among those subject to Ukrainian sanctions for transporting stolen grain—part of the estimated 15 million tons of grain that Ukraine claims Russia has taken since 2022.
Swedish prosecutors are currently questioning the captain and others involved, citing multiple suspected instances of false maritime certificates.
Authorities have also expressed concerns about the vessel’s seaworthiness and unclear ownership. As a result, the Swedish Transport Agency has issued an international operating ban on the ship until its deficiencies are addressed.
“The ownership structure is unclear and there are suspicions that the vessel is not insured,” Bohlin added, as cited by TVP World.
“It is serious that ships sailing in Swedish waters, and in our territorial waters, have such deficiencies that they pose a threat to maritime safety and maritime traffic, our shipping lanes and ports and, not least, to the environment,” Stenling said.
Nations in the Baltic and North Sea have increased scrutiny of Russian shipping, focusing on what is referred to as the “shadow fleet.”
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Andriy Sybiha, commended Sweden’s actions, stating that they demonstrate the effectiveness of sanctions when strictly enforced and highlighting the importance of protecting European security and the environment.
He wrote on X: “Grateful to Sweden for taking decisive action against the Russian shadow fleet vessel ‘Caffa’.”
He said the seizure of the vessel is a “welcome development.”
“Sanctions work when they are strictly enforced. Together, we must stop the activities of Russia’s shadow fleet to protect Europe’s security and environment,” he added.
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