The captain of the tanker Grinch, part of Russia's shadow fleet, has been detained in France.
French authorities have taken into custody the captain of the tanker Grinch, which was intercepted by the military off the Mediterranean coast, Le Monde reports.
According to the Marseille prosecutor's office, the suspect is a 58-year-old Indian citizen. The entire crew, also Indian, remains on board.
The tanker is suspected of being part of Russia's so-called “shadow fleet,” which is used to export oil in defiance of Western sanctions. French investigators are verifying the authenticity of the ship's documents and the legality of its use of the Comoros flag. The Grinch is already subject to sanctions by the US, EU, UK, Canada, Switzerland, and Ukraine, and has previously changed flags multiple times.
The incident is reminiscent of the case of another “shadow fleet” tanker, the Boracay, which was detained by France in October 2025. At that time, former security officials and Wagner PMC employees were discovered among the crew, raising concerns about Russia's intelligence activities in Europe.
The Grinch's detention strengthens Western scrutiny of Russia's “shadow fleet” and reflects stepped-up inspections of vessels attempting to evade sanctions and conceal their true purpose.
