Thailand extends detention of 5 alleged weapons traffickers

Thailand's criminal court extended the detention of five suspected weapons traffickers by 12 days, as investigations continue into their sanctions-busting cargo from North Korea.

Thailand's criminal court on Friday extended the detention of five suspected weapons traffickers by 12 days, as investigations continue into their sanctions-busting cargo from North Korea.

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The Belarussian pilot and four Kazakh crew were arrested earlier this month after their Ilyushin-76 plane was impounded in Bangkok with a 35-tonne load of weaponry including missiles and rocket-propelled grenades.

They have been held since their arrest on December 11 at Don Mueang airport.

"Police investigators have not yet finished questioning as there are eight witnesses as well as the five suspects and police need to wait for forensic examination of the weapons," said police official, Major Mingmontri Siripong.

"Therefore police asked the court to approve a second period of remand of 12 days until January 6," he told the court via videolink, before the extension was agreed by the judges.

A lawyer for the suspects, Somsak Saithong, said the men claim their cargo, which they claim they believed was oil drilling equipment, was bound for Ukraine.

According to a flight plan obtained by researchers, the plane was bound for Iran, while US intelligence chief Dennis Blair said last week it was headed for an unspecified Middle East destination.

The United Nations banned all North Korean arms exports in a tougher resolution passed in June following its latest missile and nuclear tests.

The Bangkok case is believed to be the first airborne arms cargo from Pyongyang to have been seized since then.