Panama seizes illegal arms to Colombian rebels
The Panamanian authorities have seized a cache of illegal arms meant for Colombian rebel forces, police said Wednesday.

The arms, including 42 AK-47 assault rifles, a Czech submachine gun, an M-16 assault rifle and a grenade launcher, were hidden in a truck loaded with banana in the residential sector of Arraijan, west of the city.

Two Panamanians, identified as Orlando Elizondro and his son Ruben Elizondro, were arrested in link with the contraband, according to the principal anti-narcotics prosecutor, Patricio Candanedo.

The truck, which started from Rio Sereno on the Costa Rican border, was passing through Panama City to Colombia when it was intercepted by police, he said.

Police also captured 6,900 rounds of bullets, five grenades and53 empty clips in the bust.

Since 2001, up to 1,497 pieces of arms of different calibers were intercepted in the Central American nation, mostly destined to guerrillas or paramilitaries in Colombia, police said.