Finnish transport company suspected of illegally exporting trucks worth millions to Russia

A Finnish transport entrepreneur is under investigation for allegedly smuggling hundreds of trucks and trailers to Russia in violation of EU sanctions, with the total value of the suspected exports estimated at €79 million, Finnish broadcaster Yle reports.

Customs authorities suspect the Lappeenranta-based company, along with two of its employees, of aggravated sanctions violations—a crime punishable by imprisonment from four months to four years. All three suspects are Finnish citizens.

According to EU sanctions imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the export of trucks and trailers to Russia has been prohibited since April 13, 2022. Despite this, the Finnish company declared exports of 135 trucks and 29 trailers, allegedly destined for Kazakhstan or Turkey via Russia—transfers that would have been legal. The declared value of this equipment was approximately €17 million.

However, investigators now believe all the vehicles ended up in Russia. “The pre-trial investigation has revealed that, in reality, all the vehicles declared for export by the company were delivered to Russia,” said lead investigator Sanna Kuparinen.

Sales invoices suggest the buyer was a Turkish company whose director and owner is based in Moscow. The equipment was primarily transported through the Nuijamaa border crossing before Finland closed its eastern border.

Customs is also examining the entrepreneur’s potential involvement in the illegal export of a total of 588 trucks and 45 trailers from 12 different EU countries to Russia, with an estimated value of €79 million. These exports were declared outside Finland.

“The scale is significant, and this only covers exports made via Finland. The volume from other EU countries could be even larger,” Kuparinen noted.

Suspect previously investigated by Yle

While customs has not confirmed the suspect’s identity, Yle reports that a 1971-born transport entrepreneur from South Karelia was detained on March 16 on suspicion of aggravated sanctions violations between July 2022 and October 2023. The same individual was the focus of a 2023 Yle MOT investigation, which found that at least 20 trucks and semi-trailers linked to his company, Idän Liikenteenvälitys IL Oy, had ended up in Russia.

At the time, the entrepreneur denied wrongdoing in a brief email to Yle, stating: “We do not export vehicles or their spare parts to Russia. We comply with the sanctions in force. Vehicles have gone to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.”

Founded in 1996, Idän Liikenteenvälitys IL Oy has Russian-language operations and previously maintained a subsidiary in Russia. The entrepreneur, who speaks Russian, has multiple prior convictions, including traffic violations, social security breaches in transport operations, and a 2023 conviction for workplace safety violations after a faulty machine severed an employee’s finger.

Customs officials have noted the difficulty of gathering evidence in sanctions cases, particularly when goods end up in Russia through intermediaries and shell companies.