Authorities in the US, however, appear to be ramping up efforts to aid allies that are trying to curb arms shipments bound for Syria and Myanmar.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the initiative includes close participation in an investigation tied to a Taiwanese containership that was seized in Tokyo over the summer amid concerns some of its boxes contained cargo that violated economic sanctions against Pyongyang.
The probe began in August when the 2,246-teu Wan Hai 313 (built 2006) was redirected to Japan after authorities alerted the operator about a suspicious cargo. After a brief inspection, the vessel resumed a loop that linked China to Malaysia and Myanmar.
While the investigation is ongoing, officials claim they impounded materials linked to North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme and items with inscriptions that stand for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea- the nation’s official name, the Journal reported.
The preliminary findings, which weren’t covered by mainstream media until now, come at a time when the US is monitoring satellite data that suggests North Korea may be gearing up for a long-range missile launch given increased activity at a station located on its western coast.
