The authorities in Kuwait say coast guards have impounded five ships on suspicion of breaking the United Nations embargo on Iraq.

The Kuwaiti Interior Ministry said hundreds of goats and sheep and a large quantity of dates were confiscated.

"The seizure comes as a result of the cooperation with the international forces imposing the decade-long economic embargo against Iraq," the ministry said.

There was no indication of which flag the vessels were flying nor the nationalities of the 51 crew members who were arrested.

Auctioned off

Three of the ships were carrying 520 goats and 402 sheep while the other two were loaded with 872 tonnes of Iraqi dates and an unspecified quantity of lentils.

This year Kuwait has seized 25 vessels and small tankers which were smuggling oil and other produce out of Iraq in controvention of the comprehensive economic sanctions imposed when Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990.

Correspondents say the ships and goods are usually sold at auction. Crew members, who often hail from the Indian subcontinent are detained and fined before being deported to their home countries.