TRIPOLI, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Security forces in eastern Libya on Tuesday busted a gang that smuggles arms and ammunition in the city of Marj, the Libya News Agency reported.

"Information was received from the criminal investigation department of Tocra (some 20 km east of Marj) about persons selling and smuggling ammunition and weapons," said Daw Mismari, spokesman of Marj, which is some 94 km east Benghazi.

Mismari confirmed that five people were nabbed in an ambush, and two vehicles carrying heavy ammunition and hundreds of weapons were also seized.

He said that the gang members arrested had been interrogated and all legal proceedings would be taken against them before appearing at the court.

Reports said that there are more than 20 million pieces of weapons in Libya outside the control of the authorities.

Since the fall of the Muaamar Gaddafi regime in 2011, the Libyan authorities have been struggling to prepare and form a security service capable of countering the armed militias, which outgun the regular forces. Enditem