Police have been given more time to question two men arrested after a massive cache of Semtex was discovered in Dublin.

Gardaí seized the plastic explosive after armed officers stopped a taxi in the Ballybough area of the city at about 6pm on Friday.

A bomb disposal unit was called and Gardaí arrested two men, aged 21 and 28, who are being questioned by detectives after their period of detention was extended on Saturday.

Police also arrested a third man, aged 55, during a search later on Friday evening in Dublin, and all three are being questioned under the Offences Against the State Act.

The men were arrested as part of an operation into the activities of dissident republicans.

A Gardaí spokeswoman said a “significant amount of suspected explosives” were found in the car.

Residents were evacuated from their homes and nearby businesses closed as the bomb squad was brought in.

According to the Herald, 6kg (13.2lb) of Semtex was recovered, along with detonators.

The newspaper said one of the men arrested has close links to the New IRA and the military-grade explosives had been sourced for the terror organisation in recent weeks.