UK (Parliament Politic Magazine) – The United Kingdom government has set out plans for operating against companies dodging strict sanctions, including those following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The ministry of the United Kingdom has implied that the Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI) is to be established in early 2024 with responsibility for the civil enforcement of trade sanctions.
The office will overlook and make sure of the implementation of economic sanctions over the financial sector operating in the United Kingdom. The OTSI will also help businesses comply with sanctions and investigate potential breaches, issuing civil penalties and referring cases to HMRC (His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs) for criminal enforcement where needed.
It will further help putting the bulls eye over the businesses avoiding the sanctions and using different routes, possibly illegal export of products through different countries.
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United Kingdom Economic Ministry
Nusrat Ghani, the UK’s minister of state for industry and economic security, said: “Our package of sanctions, the most severe ever imposed on a major economy, is working, goods imports from Russia to the UK have already plummeted by 94 percent.
“But we are leaving no stone unturned in our commitment to stopping Putin’s war machine. That means clamping down on sanctions evaders and starving Russia of the technologies and revenues it needs to continue its illegal invasion.
“Today’s announcement will help us do that, and send a clear message to those breaking the rules that there is nowhere to hide.”
Sanctions minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan added: “Today’s announcement will further strengthen the UK’s sanctions system and allow us to maximize the impact that trade sanctions have on those who continue to flout the global rules.
“Without international sanctions, we estimate Russia would have over $400 billion more to fund the war, enough to fund the invasion for a further four years. We are hitting Russia where it hurts and starving Putin of the resources he needs to fund his illegal war on Ukraine.”