Special to WorldTribune.com

The Greek Coast Guard seized a ship carrying an undeclared shipment of weapons en route from Turkey to Libya.

Greek officials said the Bolivia-flagged freighter, MV Haddad-1, left the Turkish port of of Iskenderun with some 5,000 rifles.

“The ship had set sail from Turkey bound for Libya, with a declared cargo of plastics,” Greece’s Athens News Agency said. “It was stopped and searched by a Coast Guard special forces team off Ierapetra, as part of a wide-scale operation.”

The United Nations has imposed an embargo on weapons shipments to Libya.

A spokesman for Turkey’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the cargo included weapons, but said it was fully documented and was destined for the Sudanese police force. The spokesman added that the seized vessel was carrying building materials for Libya.

Reports indicated the ship had left from Turkey and was heading to the Libyan city of Misrata.

Misrata is currently controlled by an Islamist coalition that took over the capital, Tripoli, last year. The city has recently come under attack from Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) jihadists based in nearby Sirte.

  000 rifles seized en route from Turkey to Libya, ISIL, Misrata, Ship carrying 5, UN arms embargo, WorldTribune.com