This story has been updated to include additional comment from Joshua Stanton

The U.S. on Thursday announced it had seized an impounded North Korean vessel which was used to smuggle DPRK coal and import heavy machinery.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a civil forfeiture action against the DPRK-flagged Wise Honest, as payments made to support the ship had been cleared through the U.S. financial system.

“This sanctions-busting ship is now out of service,” Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers said in a statement released by the Justice Department.

“Today’s civil action is the first-ever seizure of a