The strange case of a cargo that has been “quarantined” in Shanghai by a failed conspiracy to defraud has been exercising the London courts.



The cargo of 18 containers of copper cathodes belongs to Trafigura Beheer, the Dutch commodity trading company but it has been unable to get its hands on the goods because of the attempted fraud.



So Trafigura and Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) have been battling it out in the London courts over who should pay for the “lost” cargo from the 2,500-teu MSC Amsterdam (built 1995).



A cargo of copper cathodes
Those involved in an international conspiracy to steal the cathodes valued at more than $2m presented false bills of lading and paid customs duties and value added tax on...