Update 10.30am

THREE MEN HAVE been arrested and large quantity of ammunition has been seized after a viable explosive device was discovered in a car in Dublin last night.

Two of the men, in their late 20s and early 30s, were arrested as part of an investigation into organised criminal activity after gardaí stopped and searched two vehicles on the Ballyfermot Road at around 11.20pm last night, discovering a viable improvised explosive device (IED)

Gardaí requested assistance from an Irish Defence Forces team which team arrived on scene at 12.10am.

The device was made safe at the scene and then removed to a military location for further analysis, according to the Defence Forces. The scene was declared safe at 1.30am.

Gardaí, from the Organised Crime Unit and the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, carried out a follow up arrest in the Wheatfield area of Clondalkin in which they say a large quantity of ammuition was seized and a man in his late 20s was arrested.

He is being detained at Ronanstown garda station under sector 30 of the Offences against the State Act while the two other men are being detained at Ballyfermot garda station under the same section of the same Act.

The remains of the IED have been handed over to the Gardai for their investigations.

The Defence Forces added that this was the 148th call out for their bomb disposal teams this year and the 26th viable IED made safe.