Dutch man arrested for selling microchips to Russia – Expat Guide to the Netherlands

Microchips sold to Russian companies and other institutions could be used for military purposes, the Dutch Financial and Financial Criminal Investigation Office (FIOD) said.

The 55-year-old suspect has dual Dutch and Russian citizenship, a FIOD spokesman told AFP.

He was arrested in the eastern Netherlands on September 27 after receiving a report from the bank to financial investigators.

“The suspect is believed to have provided microchips to Russian companies and entities, among other things. These microchips can also be used in the production of weapons,” FIOD said in a statement.

“It is known that the Russian weapons industry is currently suffering from a severe shortage of these microchips.”

The suspect is believed to have pretended the microchip was being sent somewhere else to evade sanctions.

His private and business bank accounts and an inventory of electronic products were seized, he added.

The man was taken into custody by a magistrate on September 30.

The investigation also involved Europol, the European Union’s police agency, and Dutch Customs.

In a statement, Europol said the suspect was “believed to be circumventing EU trade sanctions against Russia.”

Western powers have imposed extensive sanctions on Russia since the February 24 invasion of Ukraine.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said last month ahead of the adoption of the new sanctions that “the aim is to deprive the Kremlin military complex of critical technology”.