6 Americans detained for trying to send rice and Bibles to North Korea by sea, police say

Six Americans were detained Friday in South Korea for trying to send 1,600 plastic bottles filled with rice, U.S. dollars bills and Bibles toward North Korea by sea, police said.

SEOUL, South Korea — Six Americans were detained Friday in South Korea for trying to send 1,600 plastic bottles filled with rice, miniature Bibles, $1 bills and USB sticks toward North Korea by sea, police said.

The Americans were apprehended on front-line Gwanghwa Island before throwing the bottles into the sea so they could float toward North Korean shores on the tides, two Gwanghwa police officers said. They said the Americans were being investigated on allegations they violated the law on the management of safety and disasters.

The officers, who requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak to media on the issue, refused to provide personal details of the Americans in line with privacy rules.

Gwanghwa police said they had not found what is on the USB sticks.

The U.S. Embassy in South Korea had no immediate public comment.