FBI recognizes Estonian Tax Board for outstanding cooperation

TALLINN – Officials from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), who visited the Estonian Tax and Customs Board earlier this month, presented the Estonian agency with a plaque of appreciation for the good cooperation with the FBI.

Similar recognition was awarded by the FBI to the Office of the Prosecutor General of Estonia and the Internal Security Service (ISS).

The FBI commended the Estonian Tax and Customs Board for its contribution to solving a case in which individuals violated sanctions against Russia, and thanks to intensive international cooperation, the criminals were caught. The recognition was accepted by Rain Kuus, head of the department of investigation at the Estonian Tax and Customs Board.

"Estonia is a crucial partner for the United States as we work together to bring Russian sanctions violators to justice. We are proud to recognize members of ISS, the Office of the Prosecutor General, and the Tax and Customs Board for their assistance and coordination in these cases. They are clear examples of how our law enforcement cooperation enhances our collective security," US Ambassador to Estonia George P. Kent said in a press release earlier this month.

"The awards presented for these cases represent the FBI's recognition of the strong partnership and excellent cooperation between our services in combating the persistent threat posed by the government of Russia. Through this coordinated effort, our services disrupted Russian proliferation networks to make Estonia an unfavorable environment for illicit procurement and transshipment of goods supporting Russia's military," said a spokesperson from the FBI. 

These investigations were coordinated with the Justice Department's Task Force KleptoCapture, an interagency law enforcement task force dedicated to enforcing the sweeping sanctions, export controls, and economic countermeasures that the United States, along with its foreign allies and partners, has imposed in response to Russia's unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine.