Swedish police seize shadow vessel Caffa at foreign government’s request

Swedish authorities have confiscated the cargo ship Caffa, which has been detained in Swedish waters for two months, following a formal request from a foreign state, national broadcaster SVT reports.

A senior judge described the case as “no ordinary matter,” while prosecutors and police have refused to disclose details, citing extreme sensitivity due to its international dimensions.

The ship’s Russian captain, arrested after the vessel was boarded by the Swedish Coast Guard on March 6, was released from custody a week ago. Prosecutors have effectively dropped their investigation into him, though a separate inquiry into the vessel itself remains active under Sweden’s National Operations Department.

Court documents confirm the Swedish Prosecution Authority launched proceedings six days after the Coast Guard’s intervention. Multiple sources told SVT the case originated from a foreign justice ministry’s request to seize the Caffa. “This is highly sensitive because it involves another country,” a government source stated.

A hearing to challenge the seizure is expected in Ystad District Court this spring. Judge Nicklas Söderberg confirmed the entire case file would remain classified. “Every page will be blacked out,” he said.

The Coast Guard previously alleged the Caffa was involved in transporting grain stolen from Russian-occupied Crimea. “We have information indicating this vessel carried grain looted from Ukraine,” operative chief Daniel Stenling said at a March press conference.

Per-Olov Håkansson, the lawyer representing the ship’s owner, declined to comment on specifics but confirmed they would contest the seizure in court. “This process runs parallel to the usage-ban question. We will oppose the prosecutor’s claims,” he said.

The Caffa was initially intercepted for sailing under a false flag with an all-Russian crew. Police referred all inquiries to prosecutors, who have not responded to requests for further details.