Security agencies seize 2,560 kg Karachi-bound Chinese consignment of banned chemicals at TN port

(Image for representation purpose only. Credit: Adani Ports X)

Security agencies have intercepted a Chinese shipment of internationally prohibited chemicals destined for Pakistan's biological and chemical warfare programs at a port in Tamil Nadu, officials reported on Thursday.

The consignment, identified as Ortho-Chloro Benzylidene Malononitrile (CS), commonly used as a tear gas and riot control agent, was seized by Customs authorities at Kattupalli Port. CS is classified as a dual-use chemical, recognized under international agreements and India's export control list. Despite its civilian applications in riot control, the significant quantity seized has raised concerns over potential military uses.

The 2560-kg shipment originated from Chengdu Shichen Trading Co. Ltd. in China and was addressed to Rohail Enterprises, a defence supplier based in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

The cargo, comprising 103 drums weighing 25 kgs each, was loaded onto the vessel Hyundai Shanghai, flying the flag of Cyprus, at Shanghai Port, China, on April 18, 2024. The ship, en route to Karachi, arrived at Kattupalli Port in Tamil Nadu on May 08, 2024.

During routine inspections, Customs authorities detained the consignment due to the presence of Ortho-Chloro Benzylidene Malononitrile, a substance regulated under India's export control list known as SCOMET (Special Chemicals, Organisms, Materials, Equipment, and Technologies). This chemical is also listed under the Wassenaar Arrangement, to which India is a signatory.

The consignment was seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962, and the Weapons of Mass Destruction and Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Act, 2005.

Neither Pakistan nor China are signatories to the Wassenaar Arrangement, a voluntary export control regime established in July 1996 with 42 member countries. This arrangement facilitates information sharing on conventional weapons transfers and dual-use goods and technologies.

Officials expressed heightened concerns over the substantial quantity of the shipment, given its potential military applications, particularly amidst ongoing security operations in Pakistan, including efforts to manage unrest in Balochistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The seizure of this consignment highlights ongoing concerns about China's role in supplying "dual-use" items to Pakistan, bolstering its military capabilities. Previous incidents have pointed to a pattern of China providing controlled substances and dual-use items to Pakistan for military purposes.

Earlier this year, in March, security agencies intercepted high-precision computer numerical control (CNC) machinery intended for Pakistan's defence sector.

In a separate incident in April, the US imposed sanctions on three Chinese firms for supplying components used in Pakistan's ballistic missile program.

Officials emphasized that the interception also reveals a suspected proliferation network between China and Pakistan. The revelation of Chinese companies supplying critical components to Pakistan's ballistic missile program adds complexity to this network of proliferation activities.

The seizure of CNC machinery earlier this year underscores blatant violations of international regulations and agreements, underscoring the serious implications of these illicit activities, according to officials.

Officials highlighted the potential use of overland routes for transferring sensitive equipment between China and Pakistan, adding a further dimension to this illicit collaboration.

They emphasized that Pakistan's clandestine activities, supported by China, constitute a direct threat to regional stability and global security. Urgent action by the international community is essential to counter these proliferation efforts.