Estonian law enforcement officers, following a tip from international partners, conducted an interdepartmental inspection of the vessel Baltic Spirit, which was en route from Ecuador to Russia. However, suspicions regarding drug trafficking were not confirmed, and the vessel left the port of Muuga.
After inspection, the Estonian side released the vessel Baltic Spirit, which was suspected of smuggling, and allowed it to continue its voyage to the Russian Federation. The basis for the inspection was information from international partners about the possible transportation of drugs in a suspicious container, UNN reports.
Details
However, the customs inspection did not confirm the information about smuggling, and the vessel was allowed to leave Muuga port.
As reported by the Tax and Customs Board (TCB), a signal about the possible presence of a container with narcotic substances on board the vessel was received several days ago through international cooperation channels. Suspicions were heightened by the fact that Baltic Spirit's last port of call was Puerto Bolívar in Ecuador – a region that law enforcement agencies of various countries consider one of the risky directions due to widespread cases of cocaine smuggling.
After receiving the information, the route of the vessel, which was heading to Russia, was under close control. Given the potential threat, a decision was made to conduct an inspection. Employees of the TCB's investigative department quickly organized an interagency operation involving the Police and Border Guard Board, the Navy, the Transport Department, and the State Fleet.
As part of the operation, the vessel was stopped and directed to Muuga port for a detailed customs inspection. During the evening, suspicious sea containers were removed from board, after which TCB specialists thoroughly inspected the cargo.
This time, the information received from international partners was not confirmed
– said Vitaliy Zayarin, head of the anti-drug service of the TCB's investigative department.
According to him, no prohibited substances or signs of smuggling were found in the containers.
At the same time, Zayarin emphasized that criminal groups are increasingly using legal trade routes to transport smuggled goods. In particular, drugs are often hidden among legitimate cargo – food, industrial goods, or raw materials.
After completing all procedures and confirming the absence of violations, the cargo ship Baltic Spirit left Muuga port at 2:15 AM and continued its voyage.
Recall
Estonian security forces detained a container ship with a Russian crew near Naissaar Island. For boarding, the Estonian special unit K-komando used a helicopter from the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA), and support from the sea was provided by Estonian Navy ships Raju and Admiral Cowan.
