PANAMA CITY: Panamanian authorities have released 32 of the 35 North Koreans detained since July after an undeclared cargo of Cuban arms was found on their ship, prosecutors said Thursday.
The remaining three North Koreans -- the Chong Chon Gang vessel’s captain, first officer and political secretary -- face trial on arms trafficking charges, prosecutor Nathaniel Murgas told reporters.
He said the organized crime office ordered the sailors’ release on Tuesday, and that they were turned over to immigration authorities. The other crew members face up to 12 years in prison if convicted of arms smuggling.
The North Korean freighter was stopped on July 10 on suspicion of carrying drugs as it tried to enter the Panama Canal.
A search uncovered 25 containers of Cuban military hardware, including two Soviet-era MiG-21 aircraft, air defence systems, missiles and command and control vehicles. Earlier this month, Panamanian officials said North Korea had agreed to pay a $666,666 fine for the release of the crew and ship. The fine was imposed for endangering the waterway and providing “distorted information” about the “dangerous” cargo, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) said.
But North Korea “has not yet paid us. The vessel remains held in canal waters,” ACP administrator Jorge Quijano said.
AFP
