The Indian navy says it's captured two trawlers carrying weapons believed to be heading for members of a separatist rebel group in Burma.

A navy spokesman said twenty-three people were arrested in last month's operation off the Andaman islands.

Sources in the Andaman administration say most of the detainees belong to a rebel gruop fighting for independence in the Arakan province in western Burma.

In a similar operation in February, the Indian navy killed six members of the rebel group and intercepted four trawlers carrying weapons.