North Koreans held in drug case

Thirty North Korean crew members are in custody after Australian defense and coast guard officials seized a ship suspected of smuggling heroin. Australian police also arrested four men, two Malaysians, a Singaporean and one man of unknown nationality, that they say received the shipment along the Australian coast. The crew has been refused bail.
Australian authorities said the ship, the Pong Su, registered in the South Pacific island nation of Tuvalu, was suspected of having delivered 50 kilograms (110 pounds) of heroin.
The ship was seized after a four-day sea chase; it had rejected orders to pull into the nearest port but was eventually seized and boarded. Although authorities have not linked the ship’s activities directly to the North Korean government, the cash-strapped communist country has long been accused of being involved in the narcotics trade. Authorities said they believe the heroin originated in the Golden Triangle area of Burma, Thailand and Laos.

by Chae In-taek