Police searching a loyalist area of north Belfast have seized a gun, ammunition and a stash of cash.
Renegade members of the Ulster Defence Association fled the same area last week following a disagreement with the organisation's leadership.
The find was made during searches of a number of houses in the Westland Drive area last night. At the same time, police confirmed they seized a quantity of high powered commercial explosives during searches in a neighbouring loyalist area of north Belfast days before.
Police said the latest security operation was part of an investigation into serious crime. No arrests were made.
It was from the Westland Drive area that renegade members of the UDA fled last week after a confrontation with supporters of the mainstream UDA.
Alan McClean — who reportedly took over as chief of the UDA in north Belfast against the wishes of the mainstream leadership after they stripped the imprisoned Shoukri brothers of the leadership — was one of those who fled with their families.
They were given safe passage out of the area by police and later crossed the Border Republic and made their way to England from Dublin. Police sources confirmed that the security operation was related to the flight of the UDA faction.