Saudi security forces detain ship carrying arms

Saudi security forces detained a ship loaded with large quantities of arms off the coast of Jazan province in the southern part of the kingdom.

The ship was detrained after entering Saudi waters en route from one Arab country to another.

Al Watan newspaper said security forces chased the arms smugglers who lost their way and entered Saudi waters, and then tried to avoid coastguard surveillance.

The haul included 543 Kalashnikov rifles and large quantities of ammunition estimated to be worth more than 1 million Saudi riyals.

The smugglers have been detained and during the interrogation they confessed to having taken the weapons from an Arab country and were on their way to deliver the shipment to another Arab country. The identities of the two countries were not revealed.

Meanwhile, the authorities in southern Saudi Arabia were trying to prevent entry into the country of two vehicles said to be loaded with arms and explosives after receiving information the cars were being chased by Yemeni police along the border.