The Syrian Interior Ministry announced on Monday that it seized large amounts of heavy and light weapons and various ammunition in the Damascus countryside that were being prepared to be smuggled abroad.
It did not disclose where they were going to be smuggled.
Another cache of weapons was also seized in the Daraa countryside. Authorities said they used to belong to the ousted regime.
A security source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the operations to seize illegal weapons are part of official attempts to limit the possession of arms in the country to state institutions.
On Monday, the Interior Ministry released photos of the seized weapons.
The operation was carried out in cooperation with the Defense Ministry in the western Damascus countryside.
The source said authorities are keen on confiscating illegal weapons so that they are not used in destabilizing activities and smuggling operations.
The Interior Ministry stressed that it will continue to coordinate with the Defense Ministry to bolster state control throughout Syria and prevent smuggling.
The latest busts came days after the internal security forces announced the arrest of a “terrorist” Hezbollah cell in the western Damascus countryside.
They said the cell had received training inside Lebanon and was planning on carrying out operations inside Syria.
Authorities seized grad rockets and other weapons during the bust.
The detainees have been referred to the relevant authorities for investigation.
Hezbollah denied its involvement with the cell. In a statement, the Iran-backed group said it was not active in Syria, adding that it was “fully keen on Syria’s stability and the security of its people.”
Hezbollah quit Syria after the collapse of its ally Bashar al-Assad's regime in December.
Weapons left by the regime are being seized by certain groups with the aim of trading them for profit or using them to carry out attacks against the new authorities.
