According to the PSNI transcript of Irvine’s arrest in west Belfast, an officer told Irvine they were about to search his vehicle for “munitions and wireless apparatus”, an indication he was being stopped under the terms of the Justice and Security Act.
“Have you anything in here that shouldn’t be?,” the officer asked.
According to the transcript, Irvine replied: “In the boot there is, yes…there’s a bag…I don’t know what’s in it.”
The officer said: “OK, where did you get that?”
Irvine replied that he did not want to say.
Irvine and Workman, who was jailed for five years, both failed to explain why the weapons were being transported.