Syrian authorities said Tuesday they had thwarted an attempt to smuggle a cache of weapons into Lebanon, seizing 226 RGC-type grenades hidden inside a vehicle at the Jdeidet Yabous border crossing near Damascus, as the government steps up efforts to crack down on cross-border arms trafficking.

The General Authority for Land and Sea Ports and Customs said customs officers uncovered the weapons during routine inspection procedures after discovering professionally constructed hidden compartments inside a vehicle bound for Lebanon.

The authority said the cache consisted of 226 RGC-type grenades concealed inside secret compartments built into the vehicle. It added that legal procedures had been initiated and an investigation launched to determine the circumstances surrounding the smuggling attempt and identify those responsible.

Sources from Syria's General Security at the Jdeidet Yabous crossing told Germany's dpa news agency that the vehicle's driver had been arrested and transferred to Damascus for questioning. The sources did not disclose the driver's nationality.

The customs authority also released video footage showing officers inspecting a civilian vehicle at the crossing, assisted by police dogs that helped locate the concealed compartments containing the weapons.

The seizure comes less than a week after Syrian authorities announced they had intercepted another major weapons shipment allegedly destined for Lebanon.

In that case, customs officers discovered a large cache of weapons, long-range missiles, guided anti-tank missiles and drones concealed inside an oil tanker near the al-Tanf border crossing with Iraq and Jordan.

According to Syrian authorities, the tanker was heading toward the coastal city of Baniyas, and preliminary investigations indicated the shipment was intended for Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The Interior Ministry and customs authority said the weapons had been carefully hidden inside the tanker and were intended to transit Syrian territory before reaching Lebanon.

Hezbollah denied any involvement in the attempted smuggling, dismissing the allegations as "false and baseless."

Syrian officials said the network behind the operation had exploited commercial transit convoys crossing Syrian territory to move prohibited goods. They said the smuggling ring was dismantled following extensive surveillance that identified its methods and movements.