Trial date set for Russia ship captain charged with 'breaching sanctions' after Royal Marines raid
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The Smyrtos oil tanker was was boarded by Royal Marines and National Crime Agency officers in a high-profile operation
The captain of a Russian shadow fleet vessel carrying 98,000 tonnes of oil which was intercepted by British troops in the English Channel is set to stand trial.
Indian national Ajay Pant is charged with directly or indirectly supplying or delivering by ship prohibited oil or oil products from Russia to a third country in June 2026, in contravention of Regulation 46Z9B of the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019.
Royal Marines Commandos and National Crime Agency officers boarded the sanctioned Smyrtos oil tanker on June 14. The operation lasted six hours and was the first UK-led missions of its kind. They were supported by aircraft from the Maritime Air Group (Chinooks, Merlin Mk4 and Wildcat), an RAF P-8 aircraft, HMS Sutherland and HMS Ledbury.
Pant, 38, appeared at Southwark Crown Court on July 16 via video link and spoke only to confirm his name. He was not asked to enter pleas. The captain was denied bail and will face a jury on December 15 this year.
It is alleged that the vessel was part of Russia’s clandestine 700-ship fleet that transports oil around the world and helps fund the Ukraine war. Prosecutors argue the tanker named MV Smyrtos was boarded in the English Channel early on June 14 after it entered UK waters without a legitimate flag. The ship was considered stateless and is believed to have been flagged under Cameroon at the time.
At a previous hearing, Pant appeared at Southampton Magistrates’ Court by videolink from Bournemouth police station for a preliminary hearing. His solicitor James Diamond requested the case be sent to the crown court.
The court heard that the oil tanker was part of Russia’s “clandestine fleet of 700 ships” which acted as its “lifeline” by transporting 75 per cent of its oil and helping fund the war against Ukraine. Varun Chuni, prosecuting, previously said MV Smyrtos was designated under UK sanctions on Russia in 2025 which “were introduced to place pressure on Russia and its economy”.
He added: “They operate under a flag of convenience, the genuine owners of those tankers are very difficult to trace. In order to deceive law enforcement, they turn off tracking transponders and they regularly change flags and broadcast false locations.
“The master of that vessel has been identified as the defendant. He is an Indian national and he was arrested on the evening of June 14 and is currently in custody. He’s suspected to be master of that vessel, essentially in charge of it. The amount of oil being carried is substantial, it is thought to be 98,000 tonnes of oil, clearly that is a significant amount. As to its value, it’s uncontroversial to say it’s of very significant value.”
Mr Diamond said that his client, who had no previous convictions in any country, was only an employee of the vessel’s owner and was “simply following orders”. He said: “The defendant is very clear, it was not his choice where this vessel was going, it was not his choice what this vessel was going to be carrying, he was simply following orders from those within the country.”
He added: “The defendant is not a Russian national or has received any money or benefits from Russia, he is simply an employee doing his job and finding himself before a British court.”