British government sets up unit to fight companies avoiding sanctions against Russia

Reuters reports.

The Office for Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI) will be responsible for civil enforcement of trade sanctions, investigating potential violations, imposing fines and referring cases for criminal prosecution.

The UK Department of Business and Trade has stated that it will help businesses comply with the sanctions, and its remit will include the activities of any UK citizen or company registered in the UK that may avoid sanctions by shipping products through other countries.The unit will be launched early next year and will work alongside the existing Financial Sanctions Enforcement Office.

"We are leaving no stone unturned in our commitment to stopping (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s war machine. That means clamping down on sanctions evaders and starving Russia of the technologies and revenues it needs to continue its illegal invasion," Britain's Industry and Economic Security Minister Nusrat Ghani said.

• On December 9, it became known that the EU countries would be given the choice to independently ban Russian supplies of liquefied natural gas (LNG) without imposing new energy sanctions at the EU level.