Russian national charged in Toronto with illegally exporting goods to Russia

Roxanna Woloshyn · CBC News

· Posted: May 30, 2025 5:11 PM EDT | Last Updated: 20 minutes ago

A antheral who lives successful Toronto and runs a Hong Kong-based concern that exports microelectronic parts is facing charges for allegedly violating Canada's sanctions against Russia amid its penetration of Ukraine.

Anton Trofimov, 43, was arrested by the RCMP connected May 5 and charged with 1 number of exporting a restricted bully to Russia and 1 number of exporting a bully to Russia for the intent of manufacturing weapons, according to documents filed successful the Ontario Court of Justice.

The charges autumn nether the national Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations introduced successful 2014 that were amended to adhd much punishing sanctions astatine the commencement of the full-scale penetration successful 2022.

"I bash deliberation it's thing that's a agelong clip coming," said John Boscariol, a lawyer astatine McCarthy Tétrault successful Toronto who focuses connected planetary commercialized and advises companies connected economical sanctions and export controls.

He says it is the archetypal lawsuit prosecuted nether the Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations that helium is alert of.

Trofimov besides faces a complaint nether the Criminal Code of possessing the proceeds of spot obtained by crime. The charges subordinate to an incidental oregon incidents that are alleged to person occurred betwixt July 17, 2022 and Dec. 8, 2022.

CBC News contacted Trofimov's lawyer for a effect but did not instantly perceive back.

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Trofimov is simply a Russian nationalist who has location addresses successful Toronto and Hong Kong and is the manager of Asia Pacific Links Ltd., a Hong Kong-based institution that has been sanctioned by the United States and the U.K., according to Open Sanctions, a database that tracks planetary commercialized violators.

It says the institution is the largest supplier of microelectronic components to Russian companies since the opening of the warfare and that components Asia Pacific Links Ltd. exports are utilized to marque Orlan-10 drones, a superior limb the Russian subject uses for reconnaissance to perpetrate airstrikes successful Ukraine.

"We were pleased to spot that the RCMP had taken this contented earnestly and had evidently recovered capable grounds to warrant the charges," said Ihor Michalchyshyn, enforcement manager of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress successful Ottawa.

"We person believed for years that determination is much of this happening than is known oregon than has been investigated." 

In January 2023, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) wrote a missive to the national ministers of overseas affairs and nationalist information flagging a media report astir Trofimov and Asia Pacific Links Ltd., asking for the national authorities to look into the matter. 

"The grounds that a nonmigratory of Canada is progressive successful the proviso of exertion that is being utilized by Russia to execution Ukrainians is of grievous interest to the UCC and to the Ukrainian Canadian community," the legislature wrote.

Trofimov is besides listed connected Open Sanctions arsenic being affiliated with Hong Kong-based company  IPS Pacific Company Limited and 10219452 Canada Inc., some of which are sanctioned by the United States. 

The charges Trofimov is facing person yet to beryllium tested successful court.

RCMP announces prosecution

Earlier this week, the RCMP announced it would clasp a media league that it said would supply details connected a "complex and multijurisdictional investigation" that resulted successful the "first prosecution for violations of the Special Economic Measures (Russia) Regulations successful Canada."

However, it cancelled the quality league the day before, saying it would reschedule. 

Thirty minutes later, Global News reported that Trofimov had been charged with violating Russian sanctions. 

In an email effect to CBC News, a spokesperson confirmed Trofimov was arrested, but would not accidental if it was the aforesaid case. 

The spokesperson added that: "The RCMP is committed to being transparent with the nationalist and is aiming to supply a property league astatine the earliest availability to supply the nationalist with much accusation connected this important file."

WATCH | Largest onslaught truthful far, Ukraine says: 

Canada criticized for not acting accelerated enough

There person been a fig of Canadian cases straight and indirectly progressive successful the amerciable export of microelectronics and different components to Russia successful the past fewer years, but charges person not been laid successful Canada successful those cases.

"It's precise rare, unfortunately, for Canada," said Boscariol.

"That's mostly due to the fact that Canada doesn't person the aforesaid enforcement mechanisms oregon laws that you spot successful different countries similar the United States oregon the United Kingdom." 

The United States has aggressively prosecuted violations, including cases involving Canadians. 

"I deliberation Canada has been nether immoderate criticism, peculiarly with respect to its enforcement of sanctions and particularly sanctions against Russia," said Boscariol.

Boscariol said these charges volition nonstop a awesome to companies that manufacture goods that Russia wants that Canada takes enforcing these sanctions seriously.

He said adjacent if Canadian companies are pursuing the regulations, they whitethorn beryllium dealing with 3rd enactment companies oregon middlemen that discreetly import their products connected behalf of Russia. 

"They request to recognize who they're selling their merchandise to, who they are transferring their exertion to, who stands down the companies they woody with, who's going to beryllium the eventual extremity idiosyncratic of their merchandise oregon technology." 

LISTEN | What does Russia privation with Canadian tech? 

Michalchyshyn said the Ukrainian Canadian Congress has been putting unit connected the national authorities to toughen up its enforcement of its sanctions regime. 

"It's 1 happening to enactment thing connected a list, but it's different happening to enforce it," said Michalchyshyn.

"If we tin halt the export of these components to Russia, if we halt the amerciable circumvention of Canadian sanctions, we volition person an interaction connected Russia's quality to termination Ukrainians."