France Detains Captain of Previously Intercepted Tanker from Russian Shadow Fleet

The captain of the Russian tanker Grinch, intercepted by France, has been taken into custody.

Earlier, the French Navy published an operational photo from aboard the tanker on the official account of the General Staff of the French Army on X (Twitter), and later the French publication le Monde reported on the detention of its captain.

The 58-year-old Indian citizen was taken into custody at the request of the Marseille prosecutor’s office as part of an investigation into “flag defect” and false ship documents.

The vessel was intercepted on January 22 in the Alboran Sea between Spain and North Africa and escorted by the French navy to the Gulf of Fos-sur-Mer.

The tanker is currently anchored near Martigues under the protection of a navy ship and gendarmerie patrol boats to ensure the safety of the investigation.

On January 22, the Marseille prosecutor’s office opened a preliminary investigation into suspected violations of flag and navigation rules.

The Toulon Maritime Gendarmerie and the Marseille Ship Safety Center are involved in the inspections, investigating the authenticity of the ship’s flag and navigation documents.

The tanker’s crew, also composed of Indian nationals, remains on board during the investigation.

According to French authorities and international sources, the Grinch appears on sanctions lists as part of the so-called Russian “shadow fleet” used to circumvent sanctions.

This tanker is also listed among the violators in British lists, and in EU and US registries under the alternative name Carl.

This operation is one of several recent actions by Western countries against the shadow fleet aimed at limiting the financing of Russia’s military campaign through illegal oil exports.

We would like to remind you that recently, the British government announced that it was preparing a legal mechanism for the forceful interception of shadow fleet tankers.