The World - News from June 7, 1988

Fijian troops rounded up 40 people after police seized a shipment of Soviet-made weapons apparently smuggled from the Middle East. Krishna Datt, a Fijian of Indian descent who was foreign minister in the overthrown government of Timoci Bavadra, was among those detained because he visited the Soviet Union in 1985, the Ministry of Information said. Radio Fiji said the arms haul included 103 automatic rifles and light machine guns, 300 hand grenades and 5 rocket launchers. It said the arms were found on properties owned by ethnic Indians on western Viti Levu island, a stronghold for the coalition government ousted 13 months ago in a coup supporting the rights of native Fijians.