The Canadian Forces says equipment from Afghanistan has gone missing after crates transported back to Canada were found to contain only "rocks and other weight."
A spokesperson for the military confirmed the missing equipment to Â鶹´«Ã½ on Tuesday.
"The Canadian Forces have had and continue to face missing but non-critical equipment in certain sea containers being transported from Afghanistan to Canada, by chartered vessel," said Lt.-Cmdr. John Nethercott.
He added that in "some instances, the missing equipment was replaced by rocks and other weight so the loss would not be noticed until the containers were opened."
The Canadian Forces National Investigation Service is now probing the loss. The non-critical equipment, taken from at least 10 containers, would likely be tires, barbed wire, engineering equipment, tools and tents.
"There were no munitions of any kind in any of the containers being shipped back to Canada by sea on this route," said Nethercott. "All munitions have already been received in Canada via strategic air and sealift."
Nethercott also said that no uniforms have gone missing.
While armoured vehicles, guns, ammunition and uniforms were flown from Afghanistan to Canada on C-177 transport aircraft, hundreds of containers of military hardware were trucked first to Pakistan.
The crates were then loaded onto chartered container ships in Karachi and sailed on to Montreal.
Retired colonel Alain Pellerin of the Canadian Defence Association said the fact the containers had to be shipped through Pakistan likely compromised their safety.
"That is part of the problem," he told Â鶹´«Ã½. "You have to ship out equipment through bandit country inside Pakistan, and all things can happen."
Pellerin said the equipment could have been removed from the containers during the ground transport, or even at the port in Karachi.
Pakistan's ambassador to Canada has denied that Canadian supplies were stolen inside Pakistan, saying reports of theft have been fabricated.
But more equipment could end up missing. Pakistan closed its border with Afghanistan in November after the United States bombed two Pakistani border posts, which left about 448 containers stranded in southern Afghanistan.
"It is incredible in terms of the magnitude and the volume of material we are bringing back," Brig.-Gen. J.C.F. MacKay of the Canadian Operational Support Command told Â鶹´«Ã½.
The military does prepare for some supplies to go missing during transport. However, most supplies will make it back to Canada safely.
"Hopefully most of the containers will show up eventually," Pellerin said. "Most of the containers will be secure."
With a report from CTV's Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife
