Dontrelle Shields, left, and Kevin Woods were arrested Sunday after allegedly being found in a stolen vehicle with a loaded handgun, authorities said. (Submitted photos/Dover Police Department)

DOVER — A Sunday afternoon traffic stop led to the discovery of a stolen vehicle and a loaded handgun, bringing two arrests, the Dover Police Department said.

Kevin Woods, 29, of the 29000 block of North Oak Road in Seaford, and Dontrelle Shields, 22, of the 900 block of Southeast 3rd Street in Milford, were charged after an initial stop for fictitious tags on a 2003 Mazda Protege, authorities alleged.

The traffic stop was made in the area of South Bay Road at Transportation Circle at approximately 1:23 p.m., spokesman Cpl. Mark Hoffman said.

The vehicle was found to be stolen out of Milford after an officer checked for information on its VIN number, police said.

During a vehicle search, a .380 handgun was found underneath the passengers seat where Mr. Shields was sitting, police said.

Both men were taken into custody without incident, police said.

Mr. Shields was charged with possession of a firearm by person prohibited, possession of ammunition by person prohibited, and carrying a concealed deadly weapon. He was held at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center near Smyrna on an $11,000 secured bond.

Mr. Woods was charged with receiving stolen property. He was taken to JTVCC on a $1,000 secured bond.

The handgun was logged into evidence by Dover PD. It was not registered or legally owned, police said, and its make and model were not available.

Cpl. Hoffman said it is not unusual for officers to pick up handguns during investigations.

“The arrest and the resulting firearm seizure is significant as it removes another handgun from the streets, from a criminal who is forbidden from possessing it,” he said.

“There is no telling how or when this firearm would have been used.”

On Monday, Milford Police Department spokesman Det. Dwight Young said his agency was investigating the incident, but no further information was available.