LIMA - POLICE arrested a man hauling 36 grenades in the Peruvian capital Lima, days before top leaders including US President George W. Bush arrive for an Asia-Pacific summit, police said on Monday.

The suspect put up no resistance when he was arrested on Sunday with a vehicle full of grenades in central Lima, said Mr Julio Vergara, who is in charge of security ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit.

The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Peruvian national Edwin Javier Valladolid Chunga, was being questioned by a police anti-terrorism unit.

Asked if the man was plotting to attack the summit, Vergara said: 'We can't say anything for now'.

'The anti-terrorist police force will be in charge of conduction an investigation', he told reporters.

Peruvian authorities often arrest people hauling large quantities of weapons, mostly dealers smuggling arms from military arsenals to FARC rebels in Colombia or to criminal gangs.

Police are on a maximum state of alert for the week long Apec meetings, which will culminate this weekend with a summit of leaders of 21 countries including China, Japan, Russia and the United States.

Police have set up roadblocks and are checking identification in front of the venues for the summit, which will focus largely on the global financial crisis. -- AFP