{"id":137204,"date":"2025-05-27T23:57:13","date_gmt":"2025-05-27T23:57:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/137204\/"},"modified":"2025-05-27T23:57:13","modified_gmt":"2025-05-27T23:57:13","slug":"owner-of-toronto-company-arrested-for-allegedly-violating-sanctions-on-russia-national","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/137204\/","title":{"rendered":"Owner of Toronto company arrested for allegedly violating sanctions on Russia – National"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Toronto man whose company allegedly shipped\u00a0drone parts<\/a> to Russia has been arrested by the RCMP for sanctions violations, according to documents obtained by Global News.<\/p>\n

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Anton Trofimov has been charged with two counts of evading the sweeping sanctions that Canada has imposed on Russia in response to President Vladimir Putin\u2019s invasion of Ukraine.<\/p>\n

The 43-year-old, whose company Asia Pacific Links Ltd. has been accused of supplying the Russian military, is also charged with knowingly possessing the proceeds of crime.<\/p>\n

The RCMP has scheduled a news conference<\/a> in London, Ont. on Wednesday to announce what they are calling Canada\u2019s first prosecution for violating Canada\u2019s sanctions on Russia.<\/p>\n

No other details about the case were released by police. The RCMP could not be reached for comment and it was unclear their announcement concerned Trofimov.<\/p>\n

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But court records obtained by Global News show that Trofimov was charged on May 5 with two counts of violating Canada\u2019s Special Economic Measures against Russia<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The charges accuse Trofimov of exporting, selling, supplying or shipping restricted goods and technologies to Russia between July 17 and December 8, 2022.<\/p>\n

One of the charges specifically refers to a section of the sanctions that prohibit selling Russia materials that can be used to manufacture weapons.<\/p>\n

He appeared in the Ontario Court of Justice in Toronto last Thursday and was released on a $5,000 cash deposit, according to court records.<\/p>\n

Prosecutions for sanctions violations are \u201cvery rare in Canada,\u201d said Jessica Davis, a former Canadian government intelligence analyst and expert on terrorist financing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile Canada has been very active in sanctioning individuals and entities, actually detecting and disrupting sanctions evasion activity rarely occurs,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

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Canada has instead tended to rely on its partners in the United States to identify sanctions violations and prosecute those responsible<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a step in the right direction, but these protections have proved challenging in the past, so the outcome remains to be seen,\u201d Davis said.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAt least 12 dead as Russia continues its aerial assault on Ukraine\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Along with its allies, Canada banned the export of sensitive goods to Russia in response to Putin\u2019s war on Ukraine.<\/p>\n

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Nonetheless, weapons found on the battlefield, such as attack drones, show that Russia has still managed to acquire the parts needed to supply its forces.<\/p>\n

Trofimov is a Russian national who owns homes in Toronto and also has a residence in Hong Kong. He was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury<\/a> in May 2023.<\/p>\n

His Asia Pacific Links company, established in Hong Kong in 2014, was also sanctioned at the time for allegedly supplying Russia\u2019s military.<\/p>\n

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Three other companies allegedly associated with Trofimov were similarly sanctioned by the U.S., including 10219452 Canada<\/a>, which is based in Toronto.<\/p>\n

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