A 62-year-old Australian was sentenced to three years and six months in prison by the country's court for attempting to sell missile parts on behalf of North Korea in violation of international sanctions, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said Tuesday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th July, 2021) A 62-year-old Australian was sentenced to three years and six months in prison by the country's court for attempting to sell missile parts on behalf of North Korea in violation of international sanctions, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said Tuesday.
"The man was arrested following an extensive investigation by the AFP which uncovered evidence the man was acting as an economic agent of North Korea, generating income for the Government through his facilitation of various commodities to and from North Korea. The man plead guilty earlier this year to contravening sanctions," the AFP said in a press release.
The 62-year-old's scheme could have endangered many lives, as Detective Active Inspector Kriss Wilsonof pointed out, adding that "the actions of this man were in contravention of UN sanctions, which means a great deal of effort and organization was required on his part to facilitate these illegal acts."
The man walked free from court as he had been in custody since his arrest in 2017, according to the Daily Telegraph newspaper.
North Korea has been under UN sanctions since 2006, when Pyongyang first held a nuclear test. The UN has added several resolutions throughout the years to address further tests. Australia imposed its own sanctions on North Korea in 2006 and has since upgraded the restrictions. Some of the restrictions focus on the nuclear weapons sector and arms in general, while others target North Korea's economy more broadly, through bans on the import of the country's seafood or precious metals.
