Unusually, Somalia Legally Detains Ship

Somali authorities have seized a North Korean vessel for allegedly dumping cement off the country's coast, & will prosecute.

A North Korean-flagged ship and its crew were captured by the quasi-government of Puntland near the coast of the Puntland port city of Bossaso while discharging some 5,000 tons of cement, NK News said, citing Somali radio station, Radio Gaalkacyo, and as reported in 'The Korea Times'.

The M.V. Daesan had been headed to Mogadishu but its cargo was rejected by businessmen there because the cement had been spoiled by water leakage, the Somali radio report said.

Somali authorities condemned the dumping as "illegal" and "environmentally destructive."

The radio said the crew will be brought to a local court for indictment "soon," citing an unidentified source.

Source: The Korea Times