Sanctions and export controls

Conflict in Ukraine

The Practice Note: Sanctions regime—Russia provides an introduction to the UK sanctions regime against Russia under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 (SAMLA 2018) and the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, SI 2019/855 and highlights additional sources of guidance and information to assist in understanding the regime and the prohibitions created under it.

The Practice Note: Sanctions regime—Belarus provides an introduction to the UK sanctions regime against Belarus under the SAMLA 2018 and the Republic of Belarus (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, SI 2019/600 and highlights additional sources of guidance and information to assist in understanding the regime and the prohibitions created under it.

The Practice Note: Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022—an introduction explains the purpose and scope of the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022 (EC(TE)A 2022) and summarises its main provisions on the registration of overseas entities, amendments to the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA 2002) in relation to Unexplained Wealth Orders (UWOs) and the amendments to SAMLA 2018 in relation to the designation

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Latest Corporate Crime News

MoJ announces major sentencing reforms to address prison capacity crisis

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ), led by Lord Chancellor, Shabana Mahmood, has announced significant reforms to tackle the prison capacity crisis and enhance public safety. These measures follow recommendations from the Independent Sentencing Review led by former Justice Secretary, David Gauke. The reforms introduce an ‘earned progression model’ in which prisoners must demonstrate good behaviour to secure an earlier release. Under the new system, prisoners on standard determinate sentences must serve at least one-third of their sentence before earning the possibility of early release, with those on sentences for more serious offences required to serve at least half their term. There will be no automatic release for those who misbehave; rather, individuals must engage in constructive activities such as education and employment to reduce in-prison violence and lower crime, with the potential for the worst behaved offenders to remain incarcerated for longer than the typical release range of 33% to 50% of their sentence. Additionally, the reforms include a £4.7bn prison expansion programme and a 45% increase in probation funding, raising it to £700m by the 2028 to 2029 period.

Corporate Crime weekly highlights—22 May 2025

This week's edition of Corporate Crime weekly highlights includes analysis of the cross-government review into sanctions implementation and enforcement, of a call for the crack down on big tech companies for their role in hindering financial fraud enforcement, and of the significant shift in white collar crime enforcement in the US. Also included is news of the EA’s record number criminal investigations into water companies in England as part of a crackdown on sewage dumping, of the National Food Crime Unit’s new investigative powers effective from 1 May 2025, and of a new Work-Related Deaths Protocol being announced to improve how agencies investigate work-related deaths in Scotland. All this, and more, in this week’s Corporate Crime highlights.

DBT and OTSI update guidance on reporting suspected trade sanctions breaches

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI) have updated their guidance on reporting suspected breaches of trade sanctions. A new section, ‘Whistleblowing for trade sanctions’, has been added, which states that from 26 June 2025, individuals will be able to make whistleblowing disclosures to OTSI about persons or businesses they suspect of breaching trade sanctions implemented and enforced by OTSI. These updates follow the Public Interest Disclosure (Prescribed Persons) (Amendment) Order 2025, SI 2025/604, laid before Parliament on 21 May 2025. The Order is made to amend the Schedule to the Public Interest Disclosure (Prescribed Persons) Order 2014, SI 2014/2418, by updating the list of prescribed persons and matters that whistleblowers can disclose as part of a protected disclosure.

Environment Agency announces £477,000 conviction for waste packaging data fraud

The Environment Agency has announced the conviction of Shaobo Qin, director of EDU Case Ltd, for making fraudulent entries on the National Packaging Waste Database (NPWD). On 16 May 2025, Birmingham Crown Court ordered payments totaling £476,995, which included a £255,057 confiscation order issued under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (PoCA 2002), a £200,000 company fine, and £21,995 in investigation costs. Qin pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation and received a two-year prison sentence for entering false data regarding 785.4 tonnes of non-existent plastic waste exports in 2022. This fraud accounted for approximately two-thirds of the company's trading volume. The case was prosecuted under the Fraud Act 2006 (FrA 2006), while the company operated under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007 (PRO(PW)R 2007), SI 2007/871.

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