(NEWS) Egypt Seizes Gaza-Bound Arms Across Sinai

"Egyptian police took control of nine weapons caches across the Sinai Peninsula on Tuesday, nearly a week after discovering three stores in the same area.

All of the stores, officials said, were ready to be smuggled into the Gaza Strip.



Several types of weaponry were discovered in the hideouts, located in northern and central Sinai neighborhoods as well as the southern border city of Rafah and the port city of Al-Arish, police told Ma'an.

Egyptian forces said they found machine guns, ammunition, over 170 anti-aircraft shells, 90 artillery shells, 200 bullets of varying sizes and anti-tank landmines. Additionally, 100 kilograms of TNT explosives were seized by Egyptian security from a hideout inside a cemetery in Rafah.

Forces further intercepted two tunnels used for smuggling cars in the border city, with Ma'an's correspondent reporting clashes breaking out between smugglers over commission on the transfer of vehicles.

On 31 August, security sources told Ma'an that over 150 anti-aircraft missiles were found in the Sinai, during a 10-day campaign against arms smuggling in the area. Shortly after, a store of bricks for construction was also seized.

Egypt has launched an apparent crackdown on smuggling tunnels and weapons stores, following reports that smugglers had cut several holes into a subterranean steel wall built to curb the transfer of weapons into Gaza.

While Cairo denied the rumors, forces have seized over 500 smuggling tunnels and several weapons cache in southern Egypt since July." (source)