BADEN-BADEN.- Amid the anti-Russian hysteria now common in Europe, British investigators earlier this week raided the Faberge Museum, the most significant Faberge collection in the world, and which is privately owned by the famous Moscow art collector, Alexander Ivanov.

On Dec. 1, in an excessive display of unnecessary force, approximately 40 British law-enforcement officers with support from Germany’s Financial Investigation and Customs Department, unexpectedly swept into the Faberge Museum in downtown Baden-Baden. They were acting at the request of HM Revenues and Customs in the United Kingdom, which has accused the Faberge Museum of not paying nearly 70,000 pounds sterling in Value Added Tax (VAT) on items purchased at major auction houses in London over the past 15 years, and which then were exported from the UK. The museum denies the charges.

Investigators also raided the private home and car of the Faberge Museum’s director, Sergei Avtonoshkin. They found nothing incriminating.

"This case dates to early 2012 and began with a misunderstanding at Heathrow Airport when I was leaving the UK to Moscow with some recently purchased art items,’’ said Sergei Avtonoshkin, director of the Faberge Museum. "A year ago we successfully refuted the allegations against the museum, and so this current raid comes as a huge surprise. No crime was committed, and amid the current anti-Russia hysteria in the UK now, I have the impression that officials want to use this case to make a political statement. Their goal was clearly to abuse and instill fear into the museum owner and its employees.’’

This situation began early February when in 2012 Mr Avtonoshkin missed his flight from London to Moscow, via Paris. He tried to rebook on another flight, but Custom agents stopped him for questioning, incorrectly suspecting that he was not truly taking the art works out of the country. The items had just been purchased at Christies and Bonhams auction houses in London, and were destined for the Russian brunch of the museum in Moscow. HM Customs seized nearly 60 items, and launched their investigation. After some time, they became concerned that the museum had other items that might have violated VAT regulations, and this is what led to the recent raid.

The British customs officers are investigating items in the collection, and the museum is cooperating with officials and is confident it will be cleared of all charges.