New Jersey warns of civil and criminal liability for those involved in unloading Russian dies

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill warned port and terminal operators, brokers, and buyers that they face civil and criminal liability for handling Russian-origin diesel, according to a letter issued April 2. The governor's office said Russia has dispatched several diesel tankers toward the United States, with at least one possibly bound for the New Jersey coast, though no specific vessel's arrival has been confirmed. Sherrill said any attempt to profit from illicit Russian fuel trades will draw strict penalties. The warning matters because it puts intermediaries and purchasers, not just terminal operators, on notice as Russian barrels continue to reach U.S. shores. What to watch next is whether the flagged tankers actually call at New Jersey ports and whether operators divert or reject Russian-origin cargoes.