RAMALLAH, Feb. 17th (JMCC) - Egyptian police seized 3.5 tons of explosives destined for the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The explosives, in the form of TNT, were discovered by security officials on Tuesday being smuggled in almost 80 large bags near the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza.

Egyptian security was tipped off by local residents according to AFP. Smuggling tunnels have become a major industry in Gaza due to the continuing blockade instituted by Israel and Egypt. The latter has stepped up its efforts to curb the tunnels, which bring in material goods to the suffering residents of Gaza as well as weapons to armed groups.

Egypt is also in the process of building a controversial underground wall, in cooperation with Israel and the US, that would prevent smuggling in the future.