ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian police said on Wednesday that it had seized more than 2,000 illegal armaments smuggled into capital Addis Ababa during the past six months.
According to the Addis Ababa City Police Commission's report on Wednesday, the illegal armaments seized by police in partnership with the East African country's security and intelligence unit were said to be part of a hidden agenda that aimed to create havoc by hindering the country's peace and stability.
The police report came amid waves of similar incidents as the smuggling and transaction of armaments in the country escalated over the past few months.
Last month, Ethiopian police also disclosed the seizure of some 180 illegal handguns when they were smuggled into the capital.
The Ethiopian Federal Police Commission, however, did not give further details regarding the identity of the latest handguns smugglers nor their intention behind the illicit armament.
Police previously indicated that the armaments were illegally smuggled into the country, with a major motive to ignite widespread impact on peace and security of Ethiopia.
The commission had previously arrested more than 18 suspects in connection with smuggling of armaments into the country. Some of them were also said to be involved in illicit foreign currency outflow and the transfer of illegal and fake Ethiopian birr notes across the East African country.
Police over the few months alone had announced multiple seizures of millions of U.S. dollars and other foreign currency notes that were illegally smuggled out of Ethiopia, including at the Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's major international flights hub.
Addis Ababa police also on Wednesday revealed that it had seized more than 68 million Ethiopian birr notes (about 2.5 million U.S dollars) while being smuggled across the country.
Hundreds of thousands of U.S. dollars, euros, as well as pound sterling notes were also caught from illegal smuggling during the period, it was noted.
