Swedish authorities boarded a Russian freighter, the Adler, in Swedish waters on Friday after the vessel suffered engine problems, officials confirmed. The operation is ongoing as authorities conduct a detailed inspection of the ship and its cargo.

The Adler, a 126-metre-long roll-on, roll-off container carrier, is anchored off Hoganas in southwest Sweden.

According to Swedish Customs, the vessel’s owners, M Leasing LLC, are on the European Union’s sanctions list. The ship and its owners are also subject to U.S. sanctions over suspected involvement in weapons transport.

Swedish Customs spokesman Martin Hoglund said authorities boarded the ship shortly after 1 a.m., with support from the Swedish Coast Guard, the police, and other security services.

The inspection is still underway, and officials have not disclosed the contents of the cargo.

Per ship tracking data, the Adler departed the Russian port of St. Petersburg on December 15, although customs authorities do not have information about its intended destination.

In January 2021, Greek forces boarded the ship in the Mediterranean under the European Union’s Operation Irini, which monitors the United Nations arms embargo on Libya.

The night-time operation in Swedish waters involved multiple agencies, including the National Task Force, the Swedish Security Service, and prosecutors.

References: Reuters, Aljazeera