Swiss attorney general warns trading looted commodities could be war crime

Switzerland's attorney general has warned Swiss-based commodities trading firms that dealing with stolen raw materials, notably from Ukraine, could trigger war crime charges. The Swiss government said last month it wanted to take a closer look at the country's flourishing commodities traders to gain more insight on a rather opaque sector employing more than 10,000 people. The issue has come to the fore amid allegations from Ukraine that Russian invading forces have stolen grain.

Switzerland's attorney general has warned Swiss-based commodities trading firms that dealing with stolen raw materials, notably from Ukraine, could trigger war crime charges. "Commercialising looted raw materials could constitute a war crime," Stefan Blaettler, who took over as attorney general on Jan. 1, said in a column he contributed to newspaper Le Temps that was published on Wednesday.

He said he did not know of any convictions in this area, but Switzerland's prosecutors were already conducting criminal investigations in this context. He did not give any details. The Swiss government said last month it wanted to take a closer look at the country's flourishing commodities traders to gain more insight on a rather opaque sector employing more than 10,000 people.

The issue has come to the fore amid allegations from Ukraine that Russian invading forces have stolen grain. The Kremlin has denied such allegations.