Watch more of our videos on Shots!
and live on Freeview channel 276

Nine men have each been charged with offences including possession of an offensive weapon in a public place after police responded to reports of two suspicious transit vans in the Newtownabbey area on Saturday morning, 28 January.

In a statement police say they stopped one of the vehicles in the vicinity of Swanston Road North – and the other on the Antrim Road at around 10.50am.

The statement adds that they recovered a number of weapons including hatchets and machetes.

The occupants of the vans, nine men aged between 18 and 41, were arrested and have since charged with a number of offences to appear before Belfast Magistrates' Court today, Monday 30 January.

As is normal procedure, the charges will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service.

Nine men arrested after suspicious vans stopped containing hatchets and machetes