The captain of a ship detained in Albania with, according to the police, Russian oil on board, was arrested, passports were confiscated from the crew members, the Russian Embassy is taking measures to clarify the situation, the Russian diplomatic mission in Tirana said.
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According to Albanian media, on February 20, during the police operation “Embargo” in the port of Durres, a vessel under the flag of Liberia was detained, carrying 22.5 thousand tons of oil, presumably of Russian origin.
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“According to the Albanian police, this ship was loaded with oil from a Turkish tanker in the territorial waters of Greece and soon headed for the Albanian port of the city of Durres. The oil itself, as local authorities believe, was purchased in one of the Russian ports on the Black Sea and was intended for an Albanian company” A.V Internacional Group, owned by businessman P. Bare,” the diplomatic mission said.
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“Due to the lack of a certificate on the country of origin of the oil from the crew, the police of the city of Durres, by order of the prosecutor’s office, arrested the ship, seized the passports of all members of the crew, which reportedly consisted mainly of Russians. The competent authorities launched an investigation. Concerning Captain Alexei Smaznov, accused of smuggling , a measure of restraint in the form of arrest was chosen,” the diplomatic mission said.
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Russian diplomats noted that the crew members, including the captain of the ship, have not applied for help at the moment, “the Russian Embassy is taking measures to clarify the situation.”
