Italy Breaks Up Ring Sending Arms to Iran
VOA News 03 March 2010
Italian authorities say they have dismantled an arms smuggling ring that was sending weapons to Iran.
Anti-terrorism prosecutor Armando Spataro said Wednesday police have arrested five Italians and two Iranians. Police believe two other Iranian suspects have fled the country.
Officials said the men had been smuggling arms and other material that could be converted into weapons into Iran through London, Romania and the United Arab Emirates.
Authorities say they learned of the smuggling operations after officials in London seized a shipment of optical equipment.
Spataro said all four Iranians are suspected members of the country's secret service, and that one had been working as a journalist for Iranian state television.
Arms exports to Iran are strictly controlled under a United Nations embargo.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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