British police have arrested three men under anti-terrorism laws after weapons were discovered in a car on a ferry at Dover port, police said this morning.
Police closed the busy port on England's south-east coast, Britain's main sea route to continental Europe, for seven hours after the discovery of the weapons, trapping thousands on ferries outside the harbour and causing traffic jams on roads leading to the town.
"Three men were arrested in connection with terrorism offences and are currently being held in custody at a police station in Kent," said a Kent police spokeswoman.
Police said they discovered "prohibited weapons" in the car after an inspection of the ferry by an Army bomb disposal team.
Police did not say where the ferry was coming from. A police spokesman would not comment on what kind of weapons were found.
Customs officers stopped the car at around 7:20 p.m. yesterday evening and called the bomb disposal squad after discovering what they believed to be a "suspicious device".
An exclusion zone was set up around the car and the port closed. The all clear was given at around 3 a.m. and waiting ferries were allowed to dock. Traffic is now moving normally through the port, police said.
PA