Belgian police move on Libya arms smuggling ring

BRUSSELS – Belgian authorities have detained four people after a series of raids to break up a weapons smuggling ring trying to send guns into Libya in defiance of a U.N. arms embargo.

The Federal Prosecutor’s office said Thursday that the raids are part of an inquiry into money laundering and arms smuggling involving companies in the U.S., United Arab Emirates, Niger and Belgium.

It said the weapons were imported and exported with fake “end user certificates.”

None of the four people detained had permits to import or export weapons or military equipment.

The four weren’t identified, but one of them, a Belgian, was charged with belonging to a criminal organization and breaking an arms embargo.

Several objects, including computer materials, were seized during the raids, which took place Wednesday.