http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-12-22/seized-china-bound-missiles-marked-fireworks/3743956
China-bound missiles marked as fireworks
Posted December 22, 2011 22:39:57
Patriot Missiles stand at the ready Photo: Patriot Missiles stand at the ready (Paul J Richards, file photo: AFP)
Map: FinlandFinland has impounded a ship bound for China carrying 69 surface-to-air Patriot missiles.
The missiles, produced by US firm Raytheon, were discovered following a customs search on the British-registered Thor Liberty, owned by Danish firm Thorco, at the port of Kotka, about 120 kilometres from Helsinki.
The BBC is reporting the missiles were found in containers marked fireworks.
A team of customs, police and defence force experts conducted a detailed probe of the ship’s cargo on Wednesday when routine checks by Finland’s traffic safety authority revealed a load of 150 tons of improperly packed nitroguanidine – a low-sensitivity explosive with a high detonation speed.
Following the discovery, police and customs are now conducting further investigations to determine the reason for the military cache.
Finnish customs are investigating the case as one of illegal export of defence material.
“There are grounds for customs to open an investigation into crime concerning the export of these items to third countries,” head of Finnish customs anti-crime unit Petri Lounatmaa said.
Finnish law requires permission from defence officials to move such material across the country’s borders.
Mr Lounatmaa noted that Finnish police, who are part of the investigating team, will investigate any other possible misconduct in the case.
“We have started questioning the crew…as the investigation continues decisions will be made about possible arrests,” he said.
The customs official said that there were roughly 32 crew members on board the vessel, and that questioning could continue into Friday.
Thorco managing director Thomas Mikkelsen expressed surprise, telling reporters from Denmark that he was unaware of the case.
Another company official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the ship had been detained in Finland and said the missiles could have been loaded on to the vessel by mistake.
Loaded by mistake? Marked as fireworks?
By: slipperysam - 22nd December 2011 at 23:12
Finland Seizes Ship With Patriot Missiles and Explosives Bound For China
Posted on December 22, 2011 at 10:23am by Buck Sexton Buck Sexton
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(The Blaze/AP)– Finnish authorities on Wednesday impounded 160 tons of explosives and 69 surface-to-air missiles found on a British-flagged cargo ship ultimately destined for Shanghai, China, officials said.
The M/S Thor Liberty sailed from the north German port of Emden on Dec. 13 and two days later docked in Kotka, southern Finland, to pick up a cargo of anchor chains, Finnish Customs spokesman Petri Lounatmaa said.
“We have impounded the explosives and missiles and asked the Defense Ministry to transport and store them,” Lounatmaa said. “At this stage we don’t know where it was loaded on the ship or if the Thor Liberty planned a drop before its port of destination in China.”
Investigating officers remain uncertain of the origin of the Patriot missiles or who was supposed to receive them. The ship’s two most senior officers were being interrogated as of Thursday.
According to CBS News, however, a Detective Chief Superintendent in Finland’s Nation Bureau of Investigation, said he didn’t believe the weapons are connected to terrorism., saying “As far as we can make out the shipment was legal,” said Virtanen. “They were not trying to smuggle the missiles… they are destined for South Korea.”
Dock workers found the explosives — picric acid — badly stored on open pallets instead of in closed containers. They alerted inspectors who found the missiles in containers marked as holding fireworks.
Interior Minister Paivi Rasanen said she had not heard of a similar case.
“Of course, there are legal transports of weapons or defense material (through Finland) but in this case the cargo was marked as containing fireworks,” Rasanen told national broadcaster YLE TV. “That is quite unusual.”
Lounatmaa said customs officials and police have launched a joint investigation into a possible breach of Finnish export and weapons trading laws
By: obligatory - 22nd December 2011 at 23:12
This is stuff for a book
By: slipperysam - 22nd December 2011 at 23:09
Found this article elsewhere…
–German defense ministry confirms missiles sent from Germany
–Germany says the sale to South Korea is legal and above-board
By Arild Moen
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
FRANKFURT (Dow Jones)–A German defense ministry spokesman on Thursday confirmed that a shipment of missiles discovered in Finland were sent from Germany and were enroute to South Korea.
“These missiles are from German military stockpiles and were sold entirely legally with all requisite legal and customs documentation,” the spokesman said.
The Patriot missiles were bound for South Korea, and the sale was part of a previous standing agreement, he added.
Earlier Thursday, Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation said they had detained two people suspected of illegal transit shipping of weaponry after customs officials found what they described as 69 Patriot surface-to-air missiles and about 160 tons of explosives aboard Danish-owned MS Thor Liberty bound for South Korea.
Finnish custom officials on Wednesday seized the cargo ship in the harbor of Kotka, about 120 kilometers East of Helsinki, as the weaponry shipment lacked the required permit from Finland’s Ministry of Defense.
“We have been questioning the whole crew since yesterday and have detained two members of the crew,” detective superintendent Timo Virtanen of the NBI told Dow Jones Newswires.
Denmark-based Thorco Shipping A/S, which owns MS Thor Liberty, wasn’t immediately available for comment.
According to MarineTraffic.com, a service which shows global marine traffic by Automatic Identification System-transponders installed on ships, MS Thor Liberty’s last known port was Rendsburg in Germany.
“Yes, we are aware of this internet service but it takes a bit longer time to check this kind of information with authorities,” Virtanen said.
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December 22, 2011 at 11:06 pm