Lebanon confiscates smuggled arms on Italian ship

The Lebanese army has confiscated a large quantity of ammunitions aboard an Italian ship in the northern Lebanese port city of Tripoli.

Local newspapers reported on Tuesday that the weapons were inside two cars in the vessel.

The ship docked in Tripoli on Monday night coming from the Egyptian port of Alexandria en route from Germany, according to the reports.

The army confiscated the two cars and arrested a number of people for investigation.

In April, the Lebanese navy intercepted Lutfallah II, a cargo ship carrying large quantity of weapons, off the northern coast.

Reports said the vessel had left Libya and was heading to the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli to unload the arms that would be later transferred to Syria.

Damascus says weapons are being smuggled over its border from Lebanon and other countries to arm rebels fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.