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Captain Sentenced In Absentia
A French court sentenced Chen Zhangjie to one year in prison and fined him €150,000.
“A French court issued an arrest warrant and a one-year prison sentence against the Chinese captain of a suspected Russian shadow fleet tanker”
The sentence was delivered in absentia as Chen was at sea.
The Boracay was carrying Russian oil in violation of Western sanctions.
Failed To Comply With Inspection
The French navy boarded the Boracay after it was found sailing without a clearly marked flag.
The captain refused to comply, forcing the military to perform a dangerous maneuver.
The vessel raised a false Benin flag, which was not registered.
Russian Security Operatives On Board
Two employees of a Russian private security company were on board.
“Two employees of a Russian private security company were on board”
They were representing Russian interests and gathering intelligence.
The Boracay has been linked to drone incidents over Denmark.
Captain's Lawyer To Appeal
The lawyer argued the case should be tried in China.
He planned to appeal the conviction.
The EU lists 598 vessels as part of the shadow fleet.