Woman is arrested after a Soviet-made mortar destined for a 'private collector' in Northern Ireland was discovered at Dublin Port

A woman has been arrested after trying to transport a Soviet-era mortar through Dublin Port and drive it up to Northern Ireland.

Customs officials discovered the 82mm shell-launching weapon when they stopped a van with Eastern European number plates at around 1am on Thursday.

The Irish army's bomb squad rushed to the scene but on closer inspection the mortar was found to be decommissioned.

The woman, in her 20s, told Gardai she was taking the Russian-made KRH 36Y mortar to a private collector in Northern Ireland.

The Guards were 'satisfied there was no criminal intent' on her part.

A freight truck arrives into Dublin Port in the Republic of Ireland on Thursday. The port was able to reopen later on Thursday following the arrival of the army bomb squad

The weapon has been taken to ballistics inspectors at the Garda Technical Bureau for further examination.

The woman was in custody today at Store Street Garda station in Mountjoy where she was being questioned, The Irish Times reported.

The Guards are liaising with officers in Ulster to check the woman's claim that the mortar was for a private collection.

'An Garda Síochána continues to investigate the importation of this firearm into this jurisdiction,' a police spokesman said.

Dublin Port was able to reopen on Thursday following the army's confirmation that the mortar posed no threat.

A Russian-made 82mm mortar used to fire shells, similar to the type confiscated at Dublin Port on Thursday