British police confirmed today four men were arrested when they arrived home at London's Gatwick airport from the United States after knives, a stun gun and other weapons were found in their luggage.
A Sussex police spokesman said the arrests were made on Saturday after customs officers searched the men's bags on their arrival in London from Orlando, Florida.
The weapons included a particularly vicious combat knife, pepper spray, a stun gun and several sets of knuckle-dusters. All of the items were in bags which had been checked into the plane's cargo hold.
News of the arrests came as US officials investigated a major security alert at Chicago airport after a man was caught with seven knives and a stun gun in his hand luggage as he was about to board a flight.
Security has already been stepped up at airports in Britain and the United States after the September 11th terrorist attacks.
The Sussex police spokesman said one of the men claimed the weapons were for self-defence.
He said the arrests were not connected to the terror attacks on the United States.
One man has been charged with possession of offensive weapons and will appear in court on November 9th. Three others were released with a warning, the spokesman said.
The men were all aged between 17 and 21 and came from the county of Surrey, south of London.