A fake gun, meat cleaver and hunting knife were found when police stopped a stolen car in Liverpool city centre last night.
The weapons haul was discovered when police spotted the blue Vauxhall Mokka - stolen from the Midlands - turning onto William Brown Street.
Four people who were inside the vehicle have been arrested and taken into custody for questioning.
Inspector Carl McNulty said they were being "quizzed on what they were doing in a stolen car with knives and an imitation handgun stored within it".
Officers from Merseyside Police's Roads Policing Unit stopped the car at 7.10pm on Tuesday.
A force spokesman said: "The four occupants were detained at the scene and a search of the car was carried out. It was established the car had been stolen in Northamptonshire on August 10 this year and officers recovered a large hunting style knife, a meat cleaver and an imitation handgun."
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A 23-year-old woman from Widnes, an 18-year-old man from Birkenhead, a 31-year-old man from Tranmere, and a 23-year-old man from Birkenhead were arrested on suspicion of possession of a bladed article, possession of an imitation firearm and being carried in a stolen vehicle.
The 23-year-old man from Birkenhead was also arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle, driving without insurance, driving other than in accordance with a licence and drug driving.
Insp McNulty said: “The diligence of officers in this case has helped take weapons capable of causing serious fear and harm in the communities of Merseyside off the streets.
“Four people are now in custody being quizzed on what they were doing in a stolen car with knives and an imitation handgun stored within it.
“We will continue to take action to make life uncomfortable for anyone suspected of being involved in criminality, and our efforts to take dangerous weapons out of the hands of criminals goes on every day.
“If you are aware of people who are storing or using weapons, please contact us so that we can take positive action to make Merseyside a safer place to live and work.”
*Anyone with information can contact the force on Twitter (via @MerPolCC), on Facebook (at ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’), call 101 or contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
