The statue of Justice in Frankfurt. Photo: depositphotos.
The Higher Regional Court of Stuttgart has sentenced a 56-year-old businessman from Baden-Württemberg to seven years in prison for illegally selling machines designed to produce sniper rifles to a Russian arms manufacturer. The man violated international trade restrictions imposed by the European Union after Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, TimeUkraineIsrael reports, citing the German publication Spiegel.
During the lengthy trial, the defendant pleaded not guilty. The court found that he had entered into an agreement with a Russian arms manufacturer for the supply of six machines for the production of high-precision sniper rifles. Although the machines were second-hand, they were intended to produce dual-use products that could be used for both civilian and military purposes.
Crime through international networks
The trial revealed the details of how the machines got to Russia through a back door. Some of the machines were smuggled through Switzerland and others through Lithuania. The entrepreneur managed to conceal the true purpose of the goods by passing them off as civilian equipment. The authorities stated that the machines were used for the mass production of high-precision sniper rifles in Russia, which confirms the seriousness of the sanctions violation.
Serious consequences for the entrepreneur
The court’s decision has not yet entered into force, but it has already become an important signal for international entrepreneurs. Violation of sanctions, including the supply of equipment for weapons production, entails serious legal consequences. An entrepreneur who had been working with Russian arms manufacturers for a long time is now facing a significant prison sentence.
This case has become an important warning for other entrepreneurs involved in international supplies of dual-use equipment. Monitoring compliance with international sanctions is critical in today’s global security environment.
