Captain on sanctioned vessel released – investigation discontinued
The captain of the vessel Sea Owl, which was boarded by the Coast Guard in March, has been released from custody. Malmö District Court decided to discontinue the preliminary investigation into serious forgery.
Captain on sanctioned vessel released – investigation discontinued
Malmö District Court has decided to release the captain of the merchant vessel Sea Owl. He has been in custody since spring, but the prosecutor is now dropping the case.
The man was arrested in May, suspected of serious forgery. He denied the allegations and stated that he was merely following instructions from the ship's owner company.
In March, the Coast Guard boarded the vessel at Trelleborg harbour. During the inspection, it was discovered that the documents concerning the vessel's registration were fabricated. Original papers showed registration in the Comoros, but an alleged transfer to Cameroon was found to be forged.
The authority has previously disclosed that Sea Owl is listed on the EU's sanctions register. The vessel has also transported cargo between Russia and South America.
Because the evidence is assessed as too weak to bring charges, the investigation is terminated. The captain can therefore leave custody with immediate effect.
Source: Expressen
Source: Expressen