Gardaí investigating the activities of dissident republicans in Cork, including claims they killed two convicted drug dealers, have arrested six people.
Detectives raided six houses at 6am in Ballintemple, Ballygarvin, Douglas, Glanmire, Knocknaheeney and Cork city centre.
Five men and a woman were arrested under section 30 of the Offences against the State Act and are being held at the Bridewell, Togher, Mayfield and Gurranabraher Garda stations.
They are being questioned about dissident republican activities, including claims by dissidents that they shot dead convicted drug dealers Gerard 'Popper' Stanton in January 2010 and Kieran O'Flynn in June 2001.
Stanton (41), originally from Kilkieran Close in Hollyhill, was shot dead by a man armed with a sawn-off shotgun as he was about to get into his car at his rented house at Westlawn off Sarsfield Road on Cork’s south side on January 2nd.
The Real IRA claimed responsibility last year for the murder of 39-year-old, Kieran O’Flynn, who was shot dead in June 2001 when he went to answer a knock at the door of his home at Thorndale Estate in Dublin Hill, on Cork’s north side.
The men are also being questioned about the shooting of a man in Knocknaheeney in 2009 as well as a campaign of intimidation against drug dealers in Cork city.
Investigating gardai said they seized ammunition, phones, documentation and computers during the early-morning raids.
They have appealed for anyone with information about the murder to come forward.