By Tracy Withers Dec. 17 (Bloomberg) — New Zealand officials are probing a reported connection between Auckland-based SP Trading Ltd. and a plane from North Korea carrying weapons that was detained last week in Thailand. “We are investigating,” James Funnell , a spokesman for Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully , said in an interview from Wellington. The ministry instigated its probe after a media report of a link and hasn’t made any progress, he said. Thai authorities seized the Russian-made Ilyushin II-76 cargo aircraft carrying missiles, rockets and explosive material on Dec. 12. The plane, registered in the former Soviet republic of Georgia, was stopping for fuel before proceeding to Sri Lanka. Air West, a Georgia-registered carrier that manages the plane, was hired to transport the cargo by SP Trading, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing Air West director Nodar Kakabadze and documents. SP Trading is registered with an Auckland address, according to New Zealand government records. Its sole shareholder is Vanuatu-based GT Group Ltd. SP Trading doesn’t have a directory listing and a call to a number listed for GT Group went straight to a fax machine. The Journal said it was unsuccessful in attempts to contact the company for comment. To contact the reporter on this story: Tracy Withers in Wellington at twithers@bloomberg.net .
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New Zealand Probes Link to North Korea Weapons Plane Seized in Thailand
