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Germany raids Russian's superyacht in sanctions probe

May 3, 2023 - 19:06 By AP

Solider toys are placed in front of Russia's flag colors in an illustration (Reuters)

BERLIN (AP) — German authorities raided a luxury yacht belonging to a wealthy Russian businessman as part of a probe into possible breaches of Western sanctions imposed over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, officials said Wednesday.

Specialists from the German navy and federal and state police took part in the search of the superyacht at an undisclosed shipyard in northern Germany, Frankfurt prosecutors said in a statement.

The ship belongs to a 67-year-old Russian businessman, whose name wasn't released for privacy reasons, prosecutors said.

Authorities are trying to determine whether the businessman tried to hide valuables on the yacht, which he is required to report under European Union sanctions imposed last year.

The investigation is separate from a case against Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, whose luxury yacht was raided in Germany last year.