The customs authorities have placed fourteen yachts of Russian owners at Dutch yacht builders under stricter supervision. This concerns twelve yachts under construction, including superyachts of more than 35 meters, and two yachts under maintenance. Minister Hoekstra of Foreign Affairs reports this in a letter to the House of Representatives.
The luxury ships are not allowed to leave the country because of sanctions against Russia, President Putin and hundreds of wealthy businessmen who support him. The yachts may also not be formally delivered and handed over to the owners.
The customs authorities investigated the market of yacht builders and traders. “We notice that the shipyards in the Netherlands are fully cooperating despite the major impact of the sanctions,” says Nanette van Schelven, Director-General for Customs. A further investigation is ongoing at fifteen shipyards and five traders.
Do the sanctions affect everyone? Lawyers have sorted it out for Nieuwsuur and it turns out: a powerful and immensely wealthy group of oligarchs is slipping through the cracks of the sanctions:
–
