PARIS (AP) 鈥� French prosecutors said Friday they opened an investigation into an oil tanker intercepted in the Mediterranean Sea by the French navy and suspected of shipping Russian petroleum in violation of sanctions against Moscow.
The Grinch, an oil tanker that came from Murmansk in northwestern Russia and is suspected of being part of the , was redirected to an anchorage following Thursday鈥檚 operation by the French navy.
Prosecutors in the southern French city of Marseille said Friday they were investigating the ship’s alleged failure to confirm its nationality.
A video provided by the French military show members of the navy boarding the ship from a helicopter.
Russia is believed to be using what has been described as a 鈥渟hadow fleet鈥� of over 400 ships to evade sanctions over its . France and other countries have vowed to crack down.
The fleet is a compilation of aging vessels and tankers owned by nontransparent entities with addresses in non-sanctioning countries, and sailing under flags from such countries.
Last September, French naval forces that Macron also linked to the shadow fleet. Putin as an act of piracy.
The tanker鈥檚 captain will go on trial in February over the crew鈥檚 alleged refusal to cooperate, according to French judicial authorities.
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