Criminal complaint filed against Swiss trader Kolmar for alleged oil smuggling
Civil society groups have accused the Zug-based oil trader Kolmar of complicity in war crimes related to the purchase of oil from war-torn Libya.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/jdp
In the complaint filed with the Swiss attorney general’s office on Thursday, non-governmental organisation TRIAL International alleges that Kolmar Group illegally smuggled oil from Libya between 2014 and 2015.
On Saturday, TRIAL International published a statementExternal link explaining that the complaint is based on an investigation conducted with NGO Public Eye that traced the transnational oil trading network originating in Libya.
According to the investigationExternal link, Kolmar purchased more than 50,000 tonnes of gasoil from Libya, which, with the help of armed groups and a series of middlemen, were diverted and stored in Malta.
If a company knowingly buys stolen raw materials from a country at war, it can be found guilty of complicity in pillaging, says the NGO. This is considered a war crime under both international law and Swiss criminal law.
“There were a significant number of indicators, all of which were in the red, that should have deterred Kolmar from carrying out these transactions,” says Philip Grant, Executive Director of TRIAL International.
Libya has been consumed in a violent battle for political control, which erupted in 2014.
In April, following the NGO investigation, Kolmar put out a statementExternal link denying involvement in any smuggling operations. It added that it had complied with customer due diligence procedures known as Know Your Customer (KYC), which are standard in the industry.
The company also said that it paid market prices for Libyan gasoil, not below-market, which would be an indication of smuggling activity. It also asserts that roughly 90% of the gasoil handled in Malta was of non-Libyan origin.
According to Keystone-SDA news agency, the attorney general’s office confirms it received the complaint.
More
More
Swiss call for political solution to Libya fighting
This content was published on
The Swiss government has urged all parties in the military conflict in Libya to agree to a truce that would allow humanitarian operations to proceed.
What can be done to protect biodiversity in your country?
Swiss voters are set to decide on a people’s initiative calling for better protection of ecosystems in the country. Have your say on the September 22 vote.
Train station closures a long-term option, says Swiss Federal Railways boss
This content was published on
Vincent Ducrot has not ruled out the closure of train stations in the long term as mobility changes, he told the NZZ am Sonntag newspaper.
Liberal Green party members criticise handling of Ameti affair
This content was published on
Some Liberal Greens say the party acted too quickly after Zurich politician Sanija Ameti fired shots at an image of Jesus and Mary.
This content was published on
Switzerland has a new supercomputer named "Alps", officially inaugurated on Saturday at the National Supercomputing Centre in Lugano.
Cold front leads to record-low temperatures in Switzerland
This content was published on
Friday's cold front caused record temperatures and closed mountain passes. The snow line was between 1,200 and 1,500m on Saturday, MeteoSwiss reported.
Collecting of vote signatures to continue in Switzerland as planned
This content was published on
The Swiss government is refraining from taking drastic emergency measures following the revelation of suspected cases of fraud.
Swiss VAT to rise by 0.7 points to finance 13th pension payment
This content was published on
VAT is to be increased by 0.7 percentage points in Switzerland to finance the 13th monthly pension payment. This payment will be introduced in 2026.
Swiss rents expected to keep rising owing to low vacancy rates
This content was published on
Although the decline in vacancies has slowed this year, it is likely to continue next year, according to UBS. As a result, rents are expected to continue to rise.
Swiss government wants to support cantons financially after storms
This content was published on
The Swiss government wants to secure additional financial aid for cantons Graubünden, Ticino, Valais, Vaud and Bern following the severe storms last summer.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss commodities trader under scrutiny over South Sudan payments
This content was published on
In December 2018, the United States placed retired Israeli Defence Forces Major General Israel Ziv under sanctions over the sales of weapons and ammunition to the government and opposition in South Sudan. “Ziv has been paid through the oil industry and has had close collaboration with a major multi-national oil firm,” the U.S. Department of Treasury noted in its decision,…
How do traders ensure due diligence in high-risk countries?
This content was published on
The high number of corruption allegations in the commodities sector raises the question of how traders ensure due diligence in high-risk states.
Swiss prosecutors search Vitol and Trafigura offices as part of Car Wash probe
This content was published on
Swiss investigators have searched the Geneva offices of commodity traders Vitol and Trafigura at the request of Brazilian federal prosecutors.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.