No weapons were found on a North Korean vessel impounded in the Philippines under sanctions by the United Nations, a coast guard spokesman said Sunday. Coast guard personnel searched the MV Jin Teng twice over the weekend, according to Lieutenant Commander Armand Balilo. "We conducted a thorough security inspection," he told a Manila radio station. "We used canine units and sensors to detect weapons of mass destruction, but the search turned out negative." Balilo said the ship, which has 21 North Korean crew men, was carrying palm kernels. The Philippine government said Saturday the vessel will not be allowed to leave, but its crew members will be deported in response to sanctions imposed by the UN Security council on March 2. The sanctions, the tightest imposed by the council in 20 years, call for a complete ban on the sale of all conventional weapons and items that could bolster North Korea's military. It also requires countries to inspect all North Korean cargo, prohibits the sale of luxury items to North Korea, imposes travel bans and asset freezes on 16 individuals and 12 entities.
