Sweden confiscates vessel that carried stolen Ukrainian grain

Sweden has officially confiscated the cargo vessel Caffa, which was detained by the coast guard in March near the city of Trelleborg. The decision was taken by the Swedish Prosecution Authority after reviewing a request for international legal assistance from another country where a pre-trial investigation is ongoing regarding the vessel.

According to the prosecution, foreign investigative authorities requested Sweden to carry out specific procedural actions, including measures related to the vessel itself. In response, the Swedish prosecutor ordered its seizure so that a court can determine whether Caffa may be transferred to another country for inclusion in the ongoing investigation. The requesting country has not been officially disclosed.

The vessel was boarded on March 6 by the Swedish coast guard, after which an investigation was launched into alleged violations of maritime rules and sanctions regulations. According to law enforcement, Caffa was sailing from Casablanca to Saint Petersburg.

Ukrainian sources, including the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (HUR), indicate that the vessel may have been involved in the illegal export of grain from temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. It reportedly called at the port of Sevastopol, after which the cargo was transported to Tartus in Syria.

Ukraine had previously imposed sanctions on Caffa, viewing it as part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” logistics schemes used to bypass international restrictions and export resources from occupied territories.

In Kyiv, Sweden’s decision is seen as an important precedent for international legal cooperation, with expectations of further strengthened actions against vessels involved in illegal shipments under sanctions regimes.

Tags: Ukraine, Russia, grain, Sweden, grain stolen