LUNA A

General information

Course/Position

Latest news

Art works worth several million Euros confiscated in second search

For the second time within a few days, the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) searched the 'Luna A' in the port of Hamburg on May 11. The officials confiscated works of art worth several million Euros. Already on May 3, investigators were active at the Blohm & Voss shipyard and searched the "Luna A". The reason for this is an investigation on suspicion of violating the Foreign Trade Law against Farkhad Akhmedov (67). The Azerbaijani is accused of failing to report significant assets - despite having been on a list of people targeted by the EU for a year over Russia's attack on Ukraine.

Oligarch yacht searched in Hamburg

On May 3, 2023, investigators searched the 'Luna' at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in the port of Hamburg as part of a case against the Russian oligarch Farkhad Akhmedov, 67, who is said to have violated the Foreign Trade Act and is on an EU sanctions list. The suspicion against him is that he has not reported assets in Germany. Navy experts were brought in to find possible secret hiding places on board. The yacht was arrested by the authorities in spring 2022 after the start of the Russian war against the Ukraine. The chief public prosecutor's office in Frankfurt is in charge of the case and, in cooperation with the BKA, is conducting preliminary proceedings on suspicion of violating the Foreign Trade and Payments Act against the man from Azerbaijan. They accuse him of failing to report his "significant assets" - even though he has been on a list of people sanctioned by the EU for the Russian attack on Ukraine for a year. 30 investigators from the public prosecutor's office, the BKA, the Hamburg State Criminal Police Office, the federal police and the navy searched the luxury yacht, securing possible evidence that would now be evaluated. The yacht was being searched for expensive art or other items of high value. Akhmedov is a leading businessman who is active in economic sectors that represent significant sources of income for the government of the Russian Federation.

Russian oligarch demands back seized yacht

The Russian oligarch Farkhad Akhmedov is calling on the European Union to lift sanctions against him and return the 'Luna' which has been seized in the port of Hamburg by the authorities. In April, the EU imposed sanctions on Akhmedov over Russia's war in Ukraine. The EU said the oligarch was "close to the Kremlin" and was "a leading business figure engaged in sectors that are a significant source of revenue for the government of the Russian Federation." Akhmedov, who made much of his wealth in the gas industry, said he had cut ties with the energy industry and denied any ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.