Gaza smuggling tunnel (archives)
Photo: AFP
Egypt destroys 10 Gaza smuggling tunnels
Tunnels used to smuggle arms, goods to Hamas-ruled territory discovered north of Rafah after tip-off from detained runner
Egyptian security forces destroyed 10 tunnels used to smuggle contraband to the besieged Gaza Strip after a tip-off from a runner arrested last week, a security official said on Monday.
The tunnels were found north of the Egyptian border town of Rafah late on Sunday after Mohammed al-Shaer gave details of their location, the official told AFP, adding that the tunnels were immediately destroyed.
Shaer was arrested last week at the Rafah border crossing as he tried to enter Gaza on false documents.
He was one of the most wanted smugglers in the area and could provide vital information on smuggling networks operating in Egypt, the official said.
The Gaza Strip, under a tight blockade since Islamist Hamas seized power in the enclave in 2007, relies on international aid and products smuggled through a network of tunnels linking it to Egypt.
The tunnels are also used to send in weapons.
Egypt, under pressure from Israel and the United States, has taken robust measures to crack down on the smuggling.
