Panamanian authorities have seized a North Korean-flagged ship traveling from Cuba that was carrying “undeclared military cargo,” Panama’s president, Ricardo Martinelli, said late Monday night.
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Mr. Martinelli did not describe what type of military items were in the cargo, although his Twitter posting included a photo of what looked like a green tubular object in a container.
The United Nations has imposed broad sanctions on North Korea that includes limits on its ability to export weapons to and from other countries. Earlier this month, the United States blacklisted a general in Myanmar, Thein Htay, for buying military goods from North Korea.
American officials say that North Korea’s arms trade has helped finance the country’s nuclear and missile ambitions. In February, North Korea carried out its third nuclear test, a detonation that led to a tightened round of sanctions imposed by the United Nations and supported by Pyongyang’s longtime ally and benefactor, China.
In remarks on Radio Panama, President Martinelli said the military cargo was hidden behind shipments of sugar and that the captain of the ship tried to commit suicide during the incident.
The president said the ship would undergo a thorough inspection to look for weapons being transported illegally through the Panama Canal.
“We’re going to keep unloading the ship and figure out exactly what was inside,” he said. “You cannot go around shipping undeclared weapons of war through the Panama Canal.”
Reuters quoted Javier Caraballo, Panama’s top anti-drugs prosecutor, as telling local television the ship was en route to North Korea.
The seizure comes as Panama and South Korea, Pyongyang’s sworn enemy, have been strengthening ties and exploring a possible free trade agreement.
Panama Seizes North Korea-Flagged Ship for Weapons
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