Images taken from a Japanese spy plane show the North Korean-flagged Rye Song Gang 1 anchored next to another vessel early Tuesday morning, about 250 kilometers (155 miles) east of Shanghai. The Rye Song Gang 1 is one of eight ships banned from entering ports across the globe under UN sanctions targeting North Korea. Japan's Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs said in statements the government "strongly suspects" the two ships were involving in the transferring of goods while at sea. A United Nations Security Council resolution passed in September bans UN member states from facilitating or engaging in ship-to-ship transfers with North Korean-flagged vessels. The Rye Song Gang 1 (bottom) and the Wan Heng 11 (top) sailing after sunrise on Tuesday.

Source: CNN February 15, 2018 03:56 UTC