Ali Halilov, a citizen of Azerbaijan, arrived in Latvia to study but now finds himself imprisoned in Rīga Central Prison after being accused of serious offenses under the Latvian Criminal Code. The charges include assisting a foreign state in acts directed against another state, specifically aiding Russia in its military operations in Ukraine, as well as violating international sanctions by collaborating with a group of individuals with a premeditated plan.

The prosecutor of the case, Roberts Urdziņš, noted the significant involvement of multiple individuals across Latvia, Germany, and Russia, with the organized group primarily based in Russia. It was highlighted that the nature of the goods in question—military-use items—was particularly concerning and indicative of the serious nature of Halilov's actions. The organized group’s operations appear to have exploited various loopholes in existing sanctions and legal restrictions.

As the primary organizer of the scheme, Halilov allegedly procured at least 85 prepaid SIM cards and created more than 42 email accounts using fictitious identities to bypass restrictions imposed by the U.S. company SpaceX, which manufactures the satellite internet equipment. This case underscores the ongoing challenges Latvia and other countries face in monitoring and preventing illicit activities that undermine international sanctions and support military operations in conflict zones, particularly in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine.