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Panama Ends Search Aboard North Korean Weapons Ship

Published Aug 12, 2013 10:35 AM by The Maritime Executive

Panamanian officials have concluded their search of the North Korean ship that was detained as it carried arms from Cuba.

Panama removed the ship's last unopened container, which was covered up under sacks of sugar, and found it held equipment for launching missiles.

Panama has unloaded and searched 25 containers, finding an assortment of weapons systems and parts.

Cuba says it was not violating sanctions meant to halt sophisticated arms sales to North Korea because the ship contained obsolete weapons being sent back for repair, reports Bloomberg BusinessWeek.

However, some of the containers were loaded with undeclared live munitions.

United Nations officials will be in Panama in the coming days to report on whether the shipment violated international sanctions.

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