Swedish authorities have launched an investigation into a cargo vessel sailing in the Baltic Sea that is suspected of transporting stolen Ukrainian grain.
Officials said the ship, identified as the Caffa, was boarded Friday by the Swedish Coast Guard while traveling through Swedish territorial waters. Authorities searched the vessel and questioned members of the crew during the operation.
According to Sweden’s news agency TT, the majority of the crew aboard the ship are Russian nationals. The vessel itself is also listed on Ukraine’s sanctions register.
Officials said the Caffa had been sailing under a Guinean flag, but investigators believe the ship may have been operating under a false flag at the time it was intercepted.
Swedish authorities said they are also examining the vessel’s seaworthiness and have opened a criminal investigation involving at least one individual connected to the ship.
Further details about the crew or the suspected shipment have not yet been released.
The investigation comes as Sweden and other European nations have increased scrutiny of maritime activity connected to Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine.
Last year, Sweden announced tighter controls on foreign ships passing through its waters, including expanded insurance checks designed to identify vessels linked to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet.”
That network of ships has been used to transport Russian oil and gas in ways that bypass international sanctions. Some vessels in the fleet have also been accused of carrying Ukrainian grain taken from territories occupied by Russian forces.
Many of the ships associated with the shadow fleet are older vessels with an average age of about 18 years. Maritime officials say aging ships can pose higher safety risks, particularly if they are poorly maintained.
To strengthen oversight, Sweden directed the Coast Guard and the Swedish Maritime Administration to collect insurance information from ships not only docking at Swedish ports but also those traveling through the country’s territorial waters and exclusive economic zone.
Authorities have not confirmed whether the Caffa is officially considered part of Russia’s shadow fleet.
The investigation into the vessel remains ongoing.
