The ship Fitburg, which is suspected of damaging a data communication cable between Helsinki and Tallinn, was traveling from St. Petersburg with its anchor chain in the water when it was stopped.
According to Finnish Customs, the ship was carrying steel products subject to EU sectoral sanctions, Yle reports. Customs still has the goods in its custody and is investigating how EU sanctions legislation can be applied to the case. The incident is being investigated as suspected serious damage, attempted serious damage, and suspected serious disruption of postal and telecommunications traffic.
Two people from the crew have been arrested and two others have been banned from traveling, according to Finnish police.
In total, the crew consists of 14 people who, according to Yle, come from Russia, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.
The 132-meter-long cargo ship was en route from St. Petersburg in Russia to Haifa in Israel, the border guard said.
According to the Swedish Post and Telecom Agency (PTS), a cable break also occurred Tuesday night on a fiber cable between Sweden and Estonia, in Estonian waters.
