THREE men have been arrested and 50 kg of a Class drug mixing agent were seized following a number of searches in the West Belfast, North Belfast and Lisburn areas.

Two men aged 32 and 30 were arrested after a car was stopped in the Old Brewery Lane area of West Belfast and approximately 50kg worth of suspected class A drugs were found and seized.

A while later, a 64 year old man was arrested in the North Belfast area. Searches were carried out at a house there and several items were seized. No items were seized at a property search in Lisburn.

The three men were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply class A controlled drug and encouraging or assisting offences. The men are all currently assisting police with their enquiries.

Detectives believe the suspected class A drugs are thought to be a mixing agent for cocaine.

Pipe bombs defused in north and west Belfast following major security alerts

TWO lethal pipe bombs have been made safe during security alerts in Belfast.

Police said the viable bombs were found at Brae Hill Link in north Belfast and Old Brewery Lane, off the Glen Road in west Belfast on Monday.

In north Belfast, around 30 families have been evacuated from their homes at Brae Hill Link in the Ballysillan area of the Crumlin Road.

A local community centre was made available to residents evacuated from their homes.

Both areas were closed as Army bomb experts examined the scenes and defused them.

The pipe bombs have been taken away for forensic examination.

Detectives are investigating a possible link between the two incidents.

The alerts are now over and the roads have been re-opened.

Meanwhile, anti-terror cops have arrested four dissident republican suspects following a hoax bomb alert on the M1 motorway.

The motorway was closed on Monday morning for a time between Belfast and Lisburn after a suspicious object was found on the Kennedy Way offslip.

The alert started around 4 am.

Four men – two aged 26, one 53 and a 25-year-old – were arrested after police swooped on a car on the Andersonstown Road.

Police said the men were being questioned at the serious crime suite in Antrim by detectives from the PSNI’s Serious Crime Branch.

Police quiz four men over hoax security alert in west Belfast

ANTI-TERROR cops have arrested four dissident republican suspects following a hoax bomb alert on the M1 motorway.

The motorway was closed on Monday morning for a time between Belfast and Lisburn after a suspicious object was found on the Kennedy Way offslip.

The alert started around 4 am.

Four men – two aged 26, one 53 and a 25-year-old – were arrested after police swooped on a car on the Andersonstown Road.

Police said the men were being questioned at the serious crime suite in Antrim by detectives from the PSNI’s Serious Crime Branch.

There are ongoing alerts in north and west Belfasgt.

In north Belfast, around 30 families have been evacuated from their homes at Brae Hill in the Ballysillan area of the Crumlin Road.

It follows the discovery of a suspicious object which is being examined by Army technical officers.

A local community centre has been made available to residents evacuated from their homes while the road remains closed.

Across the city in west Belfast, Old Brewery Lane off the Glen Road has been closed because of another suspicious object.

Army technical officers are also at the scene.

Police are dealing with security alerts in north and west Belfast

POLICE are dealing with two more security alerts in Belfast on Monday morning.

A suspicious object has been found at Old Brewery Lane area near the Glen Road in west Belfast.

The area is now sealed off as Army technical officers have been tasked to the scene to examine the object.

In North Belfast, a suspicious object has been found at Brae Hill Link on the Crumlin Road.

The road is now closed while police await the arrival of an army bomb disposal unit.

A number of homes have been evacuated as a precaution.

Earlier, the M1 was shut for several hours following a security alert at Kennedy away.

The motorway has since been re-opened but it caused massive tailbacks for motorists heading into Belfast.

Police are dealing with a second security alert on Glen Road in west Belfast

POLICE are dealing with a second security alert in west Belfast on Monday morning.

It follows the discovery of a suspicious object at Old Brewery Lane area near the Glen Road in west Belfast.

Army technical officers have been tasked to the scene to examine the object.