German customs investigators and the public prosecutor's office took action on June 6 against the suspected illegal export of luxury cars to Russia. The customs investigation office in the western city of Essen and the public prosecutor's office in Bochum announced that they suspected that managers of a car dealership in Bochum sold a large number of luxury vehicles worth over 5 million euros ($5.44 million) to Russia, violating the existing export embargo. Authorities suspect the dealers pretended that the cars had been legally exported to other countries, when in reality they were sent to Russia. Investigators searched and seized evidence from two properties.
German Luxury Car Dealers Raided Over Alleged Russian Sanctions Violations
Mercedes-Benz building (file photo)