Two trading houses were raided by Japanese police today on suspicion that the firms exported to North Korea a freeze dryer that could be used to manufacture biological weapons, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, Feb. 13).
The dryers can be used to grow bacteria, according to AFP.
The raids took place in the Yamaguchi and Shimane prefectures. One of the companies involved is Seishin Trading Co., according to the Japan Broadcasting Corp. The name of the other company was not released.
The companies are suspected of shipping the equipment to North Korea via Taiwan, according to Asian news reports. Reports also indicate that 10 sites related to the companies are being raided for violations of the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Control Law in connection with the 2002 shipment.
Japanese law enforcement officials learned of the shipment after questioning North Korean recycling agents when they tried to ship stolen bicycles to their home nation (Agence France-Presse/TODAYonline.com, Feb. 17).