The Pong Su incident occurred during April 2003 when members of the Australian Special Operations Command intercepted and boarded the Pong Su, a North Korean ocean freighter in Australian territorial waters. The ship was suspected of being involved in smuggling almost 150 kg (330 pounds) of heroin into Australia.
The Pong Su (봉수호) was a 349-foot (106 m), 3,743-tonne ocean freighter registered in Tuvalu and North Korean owned. The ship was flying the flag of Tuvalu, a flag of convenience. Searches of the ship by Australian authorities revealed the ship had been modified for long voyages and was carrying enough fuel and provisions to travel around the world without needing to port.
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