WASHINGTON — The U.S. said Thursday it has seized a North Korean cargo ship that was used to violate international sanctions, a first-of-its kind enforcement action that comes tense moment in relations between the two countries. The “Wise Honest,” North Korea’s second largest cargo ship, was detained during an April 2018 stop in Indonesia and will be moved to American Samoa, Justice Department officials said. The 581-foot (177 metres) Wise Honest was used to transport North Korean coal to China, Russia and other countries, generating badly needed revenue to a country that is under U.N. sanctions because of its nuclear weapons program. North Korea sought to disguise the ship’s operations by listing various other countries for its nationality and the origin of its cargo, according to the complaint. The U.S. has prosecuted people and businesses for violating sanctions but has never before seized a North Korean ship.

Source: National Post May 09, 2019 16:37 UTC