Lebanon cracks down on weapons smuggling network

BEIRUT (Xinhua) - Lebanon's state security forces detained Saturday four people involved in a network specialized with trafficking and smuggling weapons to armed groups in Syria.

According to the National News Agency (NNA), the state security forces in south Lebanon's town of Nabatiyeh thwarted an attempt by the network to smuggle arms to gunmen in Syria, following a surveillance operations.

It added that a large quantity of arms was seized in the possession of the four people who are all Lebanese nationals and they were referred to the judiciary.

Since the rebellion against the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad in March 2011, weapons smuggling operations from Lebanon increased particularly from the Wadi Khaled north region.

Lebanon and Syria share 330 kilometers length of borders.