At Mumbai’s Nhava Sheva port, Indian security services have seized a ship that was headed for Karachi on the suspicion that it contained a dual-use consignment for Pakistan’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
A ‘dual-use’ shipment that was headed for Karachi was stopped in Mumbai on January 22; the machinery discovered within might have been part of a nuclear weapons project.
The CMA CGM Attila, a merchant ship flying the flag of Malta and sailing out of China’s Shekou port, was stopped on January 23 due to specific information that security agents had obtained. There are concerns that the cargo that was confiscated, which weighed more than 22,000 kg, included a Computer Numerical Control (CNC) equipment made by an Italian business. This machine may have been used in Pakistan’s nuclear program.
After more research, it was discovered that the shipment was actually made by “Taiyuan Mining Import and Export Co Ltd” for “Cosmos Engineering” in Pakistan, despite information indicating it was from “Shanghai JXE Global Logistics Co Ltd” and was headed for “Pakistan Wings Pvt Ltd” in Sialkot.
Officials attested to Pakistan’s possible use of the CNC machine in its nuclear projects, especially for producing vital parts needed for missile development.
The Wassenaar Arrangement, in which India actively participates, is an international weapons control framework designed to limit the proliferation of goods with both civilian and military applications. It covers CNC machines. Interestingly, North Korea’s nuclear program previously made use of comparable CNC equipment.
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The current inquiry is on suspected shipment details evasion strategies, including bills, which suggest an attempt to hide the real beneficiaries. Concerns over illicit procurement have been raised by previous cases of seizing dual-use military-grade equipment that were transshipped from China to Pakistan.
The goal of the current investigation is to find out if the suspected Pakistani organizations that are receiving these things are connected to the Defense Science and Technology Organization (DESTO), which is in charge of Pakistan’s defense R&D.
Based on particular intelligence, port officers notified Indian defense authorities, which resulted in the container being inspected and the shipment being seized.
