Canada has disrupted an attempt to send materials to Russia in violation of sanctions imposed after the invasion of Ukraine, an official said Tuesday.
Border officials in Montreal seized the shipment, described as “dual-use goods” banned from export to Russia under Canada’s sanctions regime.
The shipment was one of more than a dozen with “suspected links to Russian entities” that Canada Border Services said prompted action.
The CBSA initially said it was the only seizure it could confirm under Ukraine-related sanctions, but later said it was the only one it could release details of.
He also added that more than a dozen shipments he acted on had “suspected ties to the Russian military.”
Read more: How artillery sent by Canada and allies is helping – and not – on Ukraine’s front lines
Story continues below the ad
CBSA spokeswoman Judith Gadbois-Saint-Cyr said the shipment was discovered last month and seized due to a lack of proper export permits.
“The agency can confirm that it has seized one prohibited shipment destined for Russia as a result of a risk assessment and referral by CBSA counter-proliferation officers,” she said.
“The shipment was detained and CBSA consulted with experts from Global Affairs Canada who confirmed that a component in the shipment was prohibited from export.”
The item was on Canada’s Restricted Goods and Technology List, which specifies materials prohibited for export to Russia.
Debris from a destroyed apartment after Russian shelling in a residential area in Chuhuyev, Kharkiv region, Ukraine, Saturday, July 16, 2022 (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka). XBP
The sanctions were imposed in response to Russia’s unprovoked war against neighboring Ukraine. The conflict is now approaching six months.
“This CBSA seizure is positive and shows that Canada’s sanctions against Russia are being implemented,” said Marcus Kolga, a senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute.
Story continues below the ad
But he said recent reports that Italian authorities intercepted a shipment from Canada of US drones destined for Russia should be investigated.
Trending stories
-
Is the pandemic over? What to expect from COVID-19 in the coming months
-
Unsealed Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard court documents reveal new information, spark online battle
Russia desperately needs the drones as well as parts to repair Cold War weapons it pulled from storage to replace those lost in Ukraine, he said.
“Russia and some of its Western suppliers may seek to circumvent sanctions and export bans to provide parts to repair weapons damaged by Ukrainian forces,” he added.
“Canadians should be reminded that Russia has a history of non-compliance with international treaties and has itself violated international arms embargoes by supplying weapons to regions where they have been banned.”
A priest blesses the remains of three people who died during the Russian occupation of Bucha, Wednesday, April 27, 2022. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti). EM
On Tuesday, the Canadian government added 43 military personnel and 17 organizations to its sanctions list, in part on the grounds that they were complicit in war crimes in Boucha.
Story continues below the ad
“We will not allow Vladimir Putin and his aides to act with impunity,” Foreign Minister Melanie Jolie said in a statement.
The Russian Embassy in Ottawa protested what it called “illegal and unjustified” sanctions in a post on its Twitter account.
The statement falsely stated that the war crimes committed by Russian forces in Bucha were “false flag operations” orchestrated by Ukraine.
Read more: Global in Ukraine Exclusive: Interview with family of Russian soldier killed in Ukraine
Although Canada has sanctioned almost 1,200 individuals and entities since the Russian incursion began on February 24, it has said little about the implementation of those measures.
But the CBSA told Global News that its counter-proliferation operations division is working with the US Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) to “share information and targets.”
To help identify “exports of potential concern,” frontline workers in Canada and the U.S. have access to each other’s bulletins, the CBSA said.
“Although sanctions have been imposed on Russia and Russian entities, broadcasters can use transit countries and intermediaries,” Gadbois-Saint-Cyr said.
“The CBSA and BIS are extremely vigilant as they assess the risk of exports to neighboring countries, transit countries and known Russian supporters.”
Story continues below the ad
“CBSA can confirm that it has acted on (or intercepted, requested interception from partner governments, or seized) more than a dozen shipments due to suspected links to Russian entities since March 1, 2022.”
The RCMP said in June it had frozen $124 million in Russian assets and frozen $289 million in Russian assets.
Stewart.Bell@globalnews.ca
1:19 Trudeau defends decision to return turbines to Russia after Ukraine criticism Trudeau defends decision to return turbines to Russia after Ukraine criticism – July 13, 2022
© 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Add Comment