Fiji newspapers reported on Thursday that police had seized the superyacht Amadea, owned by a Russian billionaire, Suleiman Kerimov, who has been sanctioned by the United States, Britain and the European Union over Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and detained its crew.

An official at the National Police Command and Control Centre confirmed to Reuters the captain of the vessel was being questioned on how it came to Fiji without customs clearance.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, lawmakers and businessmen have faced wide-reaching sanctions in the wake of the invasion, which Moscow calls a special military operation, while European countries have seized property including villas and boats.

Commissioner of Police, Brigadier General Sitivini Qiliho told the Fiji Sun newspaper the Fiji Attorney General's office had been contacted by a foreign government requesting assistance in a criminal matter, and Fiji had agreements with other countries to enforce sanctions on Russian oligarchs.

The United States embassy and European Union delegations in Fiji had requested cooperation, the Fiji Times reported.

Fiji had been alerted to the approach of the Amadea before it moored at Lautoka Wharf, the media reports said.

The US embassy in Fiji declined to comment to Reuters because it did not have approval to speak to offshore media.

 

An official in Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum's office declined to comment saying it was an internal matter for the Fiji government.

 

The Marine Traffic website showed Amadea left Mexico 18 days ago. (Reporting by Kirsty Needham; editing by Richard Pullin)