China claims 32kg suspected artillery shell found in a Papua New Guinea shipping container is a harmless 'wine bottle'

A suspected 130mm artillery shell lying on sandy ground in Papua New Guinea, which Australia's ABC identified using an X-ray machine donated by Australia to PNG police as an undetonated Chinese Type 59 projectile containing chemical explosives.

Four Chinese nationals were arrested in Port Moresby last Friday after a local contractor discovered the 32kg object at a construction site, with PNG's police bomb unit and Defence Force explosive ordnance disposal personnel deploying to secure it. Australia's ABC broadcaster, citing high-level sources, identified it as an undetonated 130mm Chinese Type 59 artillery projectile containing chemical explosives and a fuse, detected using an X-ray machine Australia donated to PNG police.

PNG Police Commissioner David Manning called the discovery 'a very concerning find' and confirmed the device was moved to a safe storage facility.

China's embassy insisted smuggling a military shell out of China is 'virtually impossible', citing its 'world's strictest firearm control laws'.

Social media users were scathing: 'What sort of wine bottle weighs 32 kilograms?' mocked one; another called it 'amateur hour' lying.

The IndependentChina claims 32kg military-grade shell is a 'wine bottle'The IndependentChina says object resembling artillery shell found in Papua New Guinea is just a harmless ‘wine bottle’BBC NewsChina disputes reports of artillery shell found in Papua New Guinea Around PragueChina Calls Suspected 32kg Artillery Shell in Papua New Guinea a Wine Bottle - Around Prague The National | Your Number One Daily!Embassy: Artillery shell in container is a wine bottle - The National | Your Number One Daily!South China Morning PostWhat is it? PNG says it’s an artillery shell. China says it’s a wine bottle BBCWeapon or wine bottle? China disputes reports of artillery shell in Papua New Guinea - BBC

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