A HANDGUN, a rifle and a small quantity of ammunition have been seized by gardai investigating the murder of the journalist Veronica Guerin. A criminal "guns for hire" operation in Dublin is believed to have been uncovered by the detectives, who have so far arrested and questioned about 30 people in connection with the investigation.
The latest suspects to be arrested three men from Dublin, one from Co Wicklow were released on Saturday. The four had been held under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, which allows detention without charge for 48 hours.
Among areas searched were outbuildings in a Dublin city hospital. Garda sources indicated that there was no evidence to link the weapons directly to Ms Guerin's murder.
The killing of Ms Guerin on June 26th led to the largest murder investigation in Dublin in recent years. She was shot by two men on a motorcycle while seated in her car at traffic lights on the Naas Road in what is believed to have been a contract killing carried out for one of the State's major criminals.
A team of up to 70 officers has been questioning criminals with a history of hiring guns to criminals. Apart from the weapons discovered on Friday, gardai have seized about £50,000 in cash and impounded a Mercedes car worth £80,000 for forensic examination. The offices of accountants connected to suspects have also been raided by gardai.
The Assistant Garda Commissioner for the Border region, Mr Tom King, is to take charge of the Dublin Metropolitan Area. Mr King, credited with the successful operation to seal the Border against cattle smuggling during the BSE crisis, was stationed in Sligo earlier this year when the new regional commissioner posts were created by the Minister for Justice, Mrs Owen.