An individual named Anton Trofimov, residing in Toronto, was apprehended on May 5 on charges related to unlawfully exporting goods to Russia. The arrest, part of a cross-border inquiry involving various international ports, led to one count of exporting a restricted item to Russia and another count of exporting a good to Russia intended for weapon production, as per documents submitted in the Ontario Court of Justice.
These charges align with the 2014 Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations, which were revised to impose stricter penalties following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Additionally, Trofimov, aged 43, faces a separate charge under the Criminal Code for possessing proceeds obtained through criminal means, linked to incidents purported to have occurred between July 17, 2022, and December 8, 2022.
Although CBC News previously reported Trofimov’s arrest, confirmation by the RCMP was only provided during a recent press briefing. The investigation involved collaboration with international law enforcement entities such as the FBI.
Notably, the RCMP asserted that Trofimov was acquiring electronic components globally and dispatching them to Asia before onward shipment to Russia. Beyond his Toronto residence, Trofimov holds a property in Hong Kong and serves as the director of Asia Pacific Links Ltd., a Hong Kong-based firm sanctioned by the U.S. and the U.K., according to Open Sanctions.
The company, identified as a major provider of microelectronic components to Russian enterprises since the conflict’s onset, reportedly supplies components crucial for manufacturing Orlan-10 drones, extensively utilized by the Russian military for reconnaissance and airstrikes in Ukraine. While the specific components shipped by Trofimov were not disclosed by the RCMP, it remains uncertain if these components were employed in the Russian military operations.