Swedish authorities have boarded the cargo ship Caffa in the Baltic Sea as part of ongoing operations against vessels suspected of belonging to Russia's shadow fleet, according to reports from Swedish media. The Swedish Police Authority assisted the Coast Guard in the boarding operation, which occurred in Swedish territorial waters.
Civil Defense Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin stated that Sweden will continue to uphold international maritime law and intervene against actors who violate maritime regulations in Swedish territorial waters. "We will intervene in Swedish territorial waters against actors who do not live up to maritime law," Bohlin reportedly said.
We will intervene in Swedish territorial waters against actors who do not live up to maritime law
The operation is part of a series of actions targeting Russia's so-called shadow fleet, which Western nations allege is used to circumvent sanctions. According to the reports, the Coast Guard and police's national task force have recently boarded two ships suspected of belonging to this fleet, resulting in the arrest of Russian citizens on suspicion of crimes including use of false documents.
Bohlin described the actions as part of a "larger course change for Sweden" with the buildup of total defense and a clearer focus on internal and external security. The minister also responded to Russian threats against countries that board ships from the shadow fleet, calling the rhetoric "reckless and not consistent with reality."
The rhetoric is reckless and not consistent with reality
The Swedish government is reportedly investigating how Coast Guard personnel and boats can be further armed, following increased funding and new legal conditions that allow intervention against ships sailing under false flags.