On Monday a pair of luxury private jets were ordered to be seized by US authorities as part of ongoing sanctions against Russia, including what is believed to be the world's most expensive private plane.
A $540m Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner belonging to Roman Abramovich was one of two planes issued with a warrant by the federal court in New York.
Judge Sarah Cave ordered the Dreamliner and a Gulfstream G650ER be held by federal agents after both planes were found to have violated sanctions against Russia. The justice department deemed that both jets have flown to Russia since March, flying in the face of export sanctions which have been in place since Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Both planes were deemed to be the property of Roman Abramovich, and were operated via a series of shell companies in Cyprus, Jersey and the British Virgin Islands.
The captured Boeing plane with the tail number P4-BDL, was found to have flown to Russia via Dubai without the appropriate exemptions. It is reportedly returned to the UAE.
The $60 million Gulfstream jet also recorded trips to the Russian Federation without a licence.
"These aircraft constitute tainted property under active investigation by the United States," said Task Force KleptoCapture Director Andrew C Adams.
While the authorities are unable to seize the planes outside of US airspace, Adams hoped that their "international partners" would cooperate with these warrants.
The government prosecutors are seeking penalties from the shell companies of up to twice the planes' value.
Abramovich who has close ties to the Russian President, Vladimir Putin.
