A Chinese ship has been detained by Colombian authorities after around 90 tonnes of gunpowder was discovered along with thousands of cannon shells and other materials that can be used to make explosives.
Channel News Asia reported Luis Gonzalez, the National Director of the Attorney General's Office as saying “around 100 tonnes of powder, 2.6 million detonators, 99 projectiles and around 3,000 cannon shells were found.”
This is one of many illegal shipments to have been discovered recently, one of which including an incident whereby US$370,000 of land rovers were seized at Tilbury Port, UK.
Illegal shipments are particularly rife in the South America region, whereas piracy is a much bigger issue in Southeast Asia and along the East African Coast.