NEW DELHI: A Pakistan-bound cargo vessel carrying a "huge quantity" of explosives and other weapons has been detained by the authorities at a harbour in eastern India, police said on Saturday.

The vessel was heading for the Pakistani port city of Karachi and was detained Friday on an intelligence tip-off at Diamond Harbour, 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of Kolkata, capital of the West Bengal state, police said.

"The Indian Coast Guard and navy personnel have found a huge quantity of explosives, rocket launchers, anti-aircraft guns and some bombs in two large containers," West Bengal police director general Bhupinder Singh said.
"The captain of the ship is being interrogated for further information," he added at a news conference in Kolkata.

Police identified the vessel as the MV Agean Glory.

The St Vincent-registered ship had set sail from the port of Chittagong in neighbouring Bangladesh, West Bengal police inspector general Surojit Karpurokayastha told AFP.

The 153-metre-long ship will be taken to Kolkata and searched thoroughly by intelligence and other officials, Singh said.

Nuclear rivals India and Pakistan have fought three wars, including two over the Muslim-majority Himalayan region of Kashmir.

BDST: 1914 HRS, June 26, 2010
NJ