Egyptian police find stash of mines in Sinai

ISMAILIA, Egypt, Feb 21 (Reuters) Egyptian police found 240 old anti-tank mines and six artillery shells stashed in the mountains of central Sinai today, a police source said.

Police suspect the owners planned to empty out the ordnance, left over from 20th century wars, and smuggle the explosive material to Palestinian groups in the neighbouring Gaza Strip, added the source, who asked not to be named.

No one was present when police arrived and no arrests have been made, he added.

Israel frequently complains about arms smuggling across the Egypt-Gaza border. Egypt says it does its best to stop it.

Last week Egyptian police found boxes with around 18,000 bullets hidden in a tunnel near the border with the Palestinian territories.

Earlier in the month they found rocket-propelled grenades and hand grenades hidden in the sand on the same border.

REUTERS PDM KP1746