Seized guns ready to be used for gang murder, gardaí believe

Suspected gangland figures arrested in a major operation by the Garda’s specialist units remain in custody Sunday evening and face serious criminal charges.

Garda sources said they believed the two men were on their way to murder a man when their vehicles were stopped in north Dublin.

The suspects had been under surveillance for some time after gardaí investigating organised crime in the capital came into intelligence that guns were being readied for a murder attempt.

One of the men being questioned is regarded as a prolific criminal who had been involved in drug dealing and gun crime for most of his adult life.

He was driving a 4X4 BMW at about lunchtime on Friday on Clonshaugh Avenue, Coolock, Dublin 17, when a number of Garda vehicles brought him to a stop forcibly

A large team of gardaí, who were waiting out of sight in nearby streets, rushed to the scene and the 39-year-old driver of the BMW was arrested. A search of the vehicle yielded two load guns.

The operation was led by the Garda’s Organised Crime and Drugs Unit and the Emergency Response Unit.

At the same time, a 44-year-old who was also under surveillance was arrested when his van was stopped on nearby Clonshaugh Road.

Both suspects were detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act and taken to Coolock garda station for questioning.

They were still being questioned there this evening and Garda sources said they were now facing serious criminal charges.

Gardaí believe the suspects were part of a plan to shoot a man from north Dublin who lost a close relative in a gangland attack some years ago.

The younger man being held for questioning has been a suspect in the past for several gangland murders and has long been a target for the Garda’s specialist units.

He was once stopped in Dublin city when gardaí believed he was carrying firearms. However, despite a major operation put in place to detain him no firearms were found.

As well as being suspected of carrying out gangland murders, he is also a convicted armed robber and has become involved in violent attacks while in prison.

He is originally from west Dublin but has a number of close contacts in the Coolock area.