LEBANESE authorities ordered the seizure of the grain-laden Syrian-flagged 2,744-dwt geared general cargo ship Laodicea, which docked in Tripoli, Lebanon, after the Ukrainian Embassy claimed it held grain stolen by Russia from areas occupied by its forces, reports Agence France-Presse.
Public prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat said the ship was seized while it was determined it was carrying barley and wheat flour stolen from Ukraine.
The Ukrainian Embassy in Beirut said the vessel was loaded at Feodosia in the Russian-occupied Crimea, and that the commodities originated from Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv and Kherson in southeastern Ukraine.
The embassy accused Russia of stealing more than 500,000 tons during its occupation of the three regions. While Russia denies stealing grain, it has publicly touted the resumption of grain shipments from occupied ports.
Grain shipments from Crimea have surged since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February, which analysts say indicates Ukrainian grain is being exported. Exports from Crimea are sanctioned by the European Union and the US.
The Laodicea arrived at Tripoli in northern Lebanon on July 27, according to ship-tracking data monitored by Bloomberg. It will be held while Lebanon carries out an investigation into the cargo's origin, said Mr Oueidat.
The ship's registered owner is Syria Mar Shipping , according to European database Equasis. Syria Mar Shipping wasn't immediately available to comment. Both the company and the ship were sanctioned by the US in 2015 for their association with the Syrian government of President Bashar Assad.
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