Recent US sanctions against North Korean agents in Singapore and China highlight the continued pressure against North Korean business facilitators abroad. On August 15, 2018, the US Department of the Treasury sanctioned China-based Dalian Sun Moon Star International Logistics Trading Co., Ltd and Singapore-based SINSMS Pte. Ltd. for their involvement “in facilitating illicit shipments on behalf of North Korea.”

According to the designation statement, the two companies “worked together to facilitate illicit shipments to North Korea using falsified shipping documents, including exports of alcohol, tobacco, and cigarette-related products.” 

The US Treasury added that “SINSMS Pte. Ltd. is responsible for exports to North Korea and general trading of items from China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Cambodia.” 

According to the statement, “Employees at SINSMS Pte. Ltd. also provided information on how to evade shipping restrictions by sending cargo SINSMS Pte. Ltd. to Nampo, North Korea, via Dalian, China.”