Syria's Interior Ministry says it has foiled a massive smuggling attempt of munitions likely bound for the border area with Lebanon, intercepting more than 200 RPG-type shoulder-fired rockets concealed inside a single vehicle.
The smuggling attempt was stopped by Syrian customs authorities at the Jdeidat Yabous crossing on the Beirut-Damascus highway, after a vehicle heading toward Beirut raised the suspicion of officials on site and was pulled aside for inspection. Within a short time, hundreds of anti-tank shoulder-fired rockets were found hidden inside the vehicle, and the suspect was taken in for questioning by internal security forces.
Video released by Syrian authorities documents the vehicle's detention and inspection. Searches at the crossing, including a explosives-detection dog sniffing the vehicle, raised red flags among inspectors, who then launched a broader search of the car. During that search, inspectors found no fewer than 227 anti-tank RPG rounds hidden in the seats, upholstery, and even the engine compartment.
