NO OPTION TO AUCTION RUSSIAN-OWNED SUPERYACHT ALFA NERO

The Government says there is no contemplation of auctioning the Russian-owned Alfa Nero superyacht anchored in Falmouth Harbour.
The vessel was recently searched by local law enforcement operatives following a request from the United States under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, MLAT.
The yacht, and its Russian owner, Andrey Guryev are on sanctions lists issued by the United States, United Kingdom and European Union.
Information Minister Hon. Melford Nicholas explained Antigua and Barbuda cannot auction the luxury vessel, as is being done by officials in Gibraltar with the Axioma, another Russian-owned yacht.
He says that’s because the extent of Antigua and Barbuda’s co-operation with international partners on Russian sanctions does not include the confiscation of assets, as is the case with Gibraltar, which is a British Overseas Territory.
Antigua and Barbuda’s Foreign Affairs Ministry says the investigations following the search of the Alfa Nero are ongoing and has declined to give details citing the need to maintain the integrity of the probe.
Gibraltar officials say they have received 63 bids for the Axioma, in the first sale of an oligarch’s assets since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.