Superyacht Amadea in control of US authorities

United States authorities have now taken the control of the $700 million superyacht, Amadea, currently berthed at the Port of Lautoka.

The handover took place when the officers from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions served the seizure warrant to the US authorities which was granted by the Civil High Court on Tuesday.

The Civil High Court in Suva had granted the DPP’s application on Tuesday to register the US warrant to seize the yacht Amadea.

The DPP had filed an application seeking orders that the superyacht Amadea be restrained from leaving Fijian waters until the finalisation of an application to register a warrant to seize the property and that a US warrant to seize Amadea be registered.

Commissioner of Police, BrigadierGeneral Sitiveni Qiliho confirmed that the Police had handed over the superyacht following the seizure warrant being served to the US authorities by the officers from the DPP’s Office at the Port of Lautoka yesterday.

He said the superyacht was in the hands of the US authorities, however, the court’s decision on the stay application on the judgment would determine the departure.

He would be holding a press conference at the Port of Lautoka today alongside the US Embassy Charge d’Affaires and/or representatives in relation to the superyacht.

When asked on a brief of the press conference, the US Embassy in a statement said they imposed sanctions on Russian oligarchs who were financing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war.