On 10 June, 7 News in Australia reported on a “massive” operation, allegedly worth millions of dollars, involving 279 ships and which appeared to be skirting international sanctions on North Korea. They were being used to dredge and transport sand. That may seem innocuous, but North Korea is barred from exporting earth and stone under UN sanctions passed in December 2017. North Korea raked in at least $22 million last year using “a substantial sand-export operation”, UN investigators said in a report released in April. Modern civilisation is built on different types of sand, and it’s a key ingredient in concrete, glass and even the processors that power electronic devices.
If you would like to say thanks by making a small contribution, in case I need to upgrade or replace my computers and other paraphernalia, I have a page at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/KoIvM842y
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