THE CAPTAIN OF a Russian shadow fleet vessel which was intercepted by British troops has been charged with contravening sanctions, the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) said.
Indian national Ajay Pant (38) has been charged with directly or indirectly supplying or delivering by ship prohibited oil or oil products from Russia to a third country in June 2026, in contravention of Regulation 46Z9B of the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, the NCA said on Monday.
Royal Marine commandos and officers from the NCA seized the tanker Smyrtos in the English Channel early on Sunday in the first UK-led operation to capture a sanctioned vessel.
Earlier on Monday, British Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander issued an order which formally prevented the vessel from leaving the UK.
Pant will appear at Southampton Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
The 24 crew members, from Georgia and India, remain on board the ship, which is anchored off Weymouth in Dorset.
According to part nine of the 2019 regulations, someone who commits a trade offence such as the one Pant is accused of could face up to 10 years in prison, a fine or both.
Joanne Jakymec, chief Crown prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: “The CPS has decided to prosecute Ajay Pant for breaching Russian sanctions following a National Crime Agency investigation and the seizure of the shadow oil tanker, MV Smyrtos, travelling through the English Channel over the last weekend.
“We have worked closely with the National Crime Agency as they carried out their investigation.
“We remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against Pant are active and he has the right to a fair trial.
“It is vital that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
In his first statement as Defence Secretary, Dan Jarvis said the UK’s interdiction of the vessel “deals another blow to Putin”.
He told MPs: “We do not seek escalation, but we will always take the necessary steps to enforce UK sanctions.
“The UK has sanctioned over 550 Russian shadow fleet vessels, this has had a material impact.
“Nearly 200 have been forced to anchor because of the action of the UK and our partners, and yesterday’s operation sends a clear signal to Russia that the UK and its allies can and will act against the Russian war machine.”
He was joined on the frontbench by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who he said is “someone who cares very deeply about our national security, and that is why she is here to lend that support”.