Royal Marine commandos stormed a Russian shadow fleet tanker in the English Channel on Sunday, detaining the captain who now faces charges of supplying prohibited oil from Russia to a third country.
Ajay Pant, a 38-year-old Indian national, appeared at Southampton Magistrates’ Court by videolink from Bournemouth police station on Tuesday. He confirmed his name, date of birth, and an address in India, but gave no indication of plea. District Judge David Robinson, presiding via videolink from Portsmouth, sent the case to Bournemouth Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing on 16 July. Pant was remanded in custody until then.
“Indian captain Ajay Pant charged with breaching Russian sanctions after Royal Marines seized shadow fleet tanker in English Channel.”
The charge relates to events in June 2026, when Pant is accused of contravening Regulation 46Z9B of the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 by directly or indirectly supplying or delivering by ship prohibited Russian oil or oil products to a third country.
His solicitor, James Diamond, requested the case be sent to the crown court, saying: “Without any indication of potential sentence, given the severity of the matter, I would submit the crown court would be the appropriate venue.” Varun Chuni, prosecuting, added: “The Crown says this is a matter that should be sent to the crown court, there are no sentencing guidelines, the offence carries a maximum punishment of 10 years.”
The seizure of the tanker Smyrtos — described by prosecutors as an oil tanker “utilised by the Russian shadow fleet” — was the first UK-led operation to capture a sanctioned vessel. Chuni told the court: “On the morning of June 14, Royal Marines and the National Crime Agency boarded the oil tanker MV Smyrtos, that vessel had entered UK territorial waters without a legitimate flag.” He explained the shadow fleet operates under flags of convenience, with genuine owners difficult to trace, and often turns off tracking transponders to deceive law enforcement.
The 24 crew members, from Georgia and India, remain on board the ship, which is anchored off Weymouth in Dorset. The vessel has been formally prevented from leaving the UK.
Joanne Jakymec, chief Crown prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “The CPS has decided to prosecute Ajay Pant for breaching Russian sanctions following a National Crime Agency investigation and the seizure of the shadow oil tanker, MV Smyrtos, travelling through the English Channel over the last weekend.”