Ten guns and two pipe bombs were discovered by police today in a major raid on a loyalist arms dump near Belfast.
PSNI officers also uncovered an anti-personnel device and thousands of rounds of ammunition when they raided four houses at Rathcoole, Newtownabbey, Co Antrim.
Five sub-machineguns were among the weapons taken away for examination. A keyhole-type bomb, designed to go off when somebody opens a door, was also recovered.
Police believe the weapons belonged to the Ulster Defence Association. One man was arrested.
Assistant Chief Constable Alan McQuillan said: "This was an extremely significant find. You don't normally find this number of loyalist guns at the one time."
"I hope this will push them back but I have no doubt they will try to re-arm. We have to do everything we can to arrest them," he added.
The UDA's north Belfast commander, Mr Andre Shoukri, was arrested in the same loyalist housing estate last month and later charged with possessing an illegal weapon.