Croatian police have filed charges against four Yugoslavs for allegedly smuggling explosives on a ship believed to have delivered military equipment to Iraq, Reuters reported today (see GSN, Oct. 25).

Authorities are holding two of the four alleged smugglers — the captain and the first mate of the Boka Star, which was seized in Croatian waters last week — in jail in the port of Rijeka, a police spokeswoman said.  The other two are still at large, according to a police statement (Reuters/Washington Post, Oct. 31).

Croatian authorities who seized the Boka Star found 208 tons of nitrogen-based explosive powder used for artillery and missiles, according to the New York Times.  Similar exports would be subject to review and an export license under the Missile Technology Control Regime (see GSN, Oct. 28).

While Yugoslavia might face U.S. sanctions over possible MTCR violations and the violation of the U.N. arms embargo on Iraq, such a measure is not yet being considered, diplomats said.

“We have been encouraged by the response so far,” a Western diplomat said.  “We have to give them time to complete investigations, but we are pressing them every day” (Daniel Simpson, New York Times, Oct. 31).

For further information, see:

Missile Technology Control Regime (U.S. State Department)

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