Hurghada Airport security apprehended three British citizens with firearms in a yacht heading for Suez Port coming from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Security seized from the yacht owner and two sailors ammunition magazines, laser-guided sniper rifles, radios, bullet-proof vests, helmets and spare parts for automatic weapons. The weapons, whose estimated value is LE2 million, were hidden inside the tourist yacht that raised the Panamanian flag.
The weapons, which are banned from being traded in Egypt, were confiscated, a report was filed on the incident and the defendants were referred to prosecution for investigation.
The defendants said they received the weapons in Jeddah Port and denied knowledge that trading such weapons was illegal in Egypt.
Since the beginning of the January 2011 revolution, Egyptian authorities have seized weapons inside and at entrance points around the country. Weapons were also stolen from police departments after the ouster of President Mubarak.
This article is an edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
