Three firearms, including a sub machine gun were recovered during the operation.
Three men were arrested in Dublin on Saturday morning (10 March) and three firearms were recovered following a Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau Operation.
The arrests were made after members of the Garda Emergency Response Unit intercepted a van on Gardiners Street shortly before 8am.
The three men, one in his 20s and two in their 30s, were arrested for conspiracy to murder.
They have been detained in the Dublin Metropolitan Region Garda Station.
The firearms recovered during the arrests have been described as a sub machine gun, a semi automatic pistol and a revolver.
As part of a follow-up operation, a fourth man was arrested on Saturday morning. Described as being in his 40s, he was detained under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act, 2007 at a Garda Station in Dublin.
Further searches have also been carried out in North, West and North Inner City Dublin.
Commenting on the operation, assistant John O’ Driscoll, who is responsible for Special Crime Operations within an Garda Síochána, said:
“We stated on numerous occasions that our efforts at tackling organised crime, particularly where it gives rise to threat to life, is unrelenting. The action taken today, through a combination of the resources assigned to SCO and Security and Intelligence, within the Garda Síochána, has yet again resulted in the arrests of suspects and the associated seizure of firearms.”
“Those within the world of organised crime who display a total disregard for human life remain within our focus and we are determined to cause them to be arrested, charged and where the Courts determine there is sufficient evidence, convicted and incarcerated within our prisons.”
Photo of the firearms seized in todays crime operation. Four remain in custody and the op is on-going. AC John O' Driscoll, said "we stated on numerous occasions that our efforts at tackling organised crime, particularly where it gives rise to threat to life, is unrelenting". pic.twitter.com/A81zKhRSKN
— Garda Info (@gardainfo) March 10, 2018
Assistant Commissioner O’ Driscoll has previously credited operations undertaken by an Garda Síochána and the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau, supported by other specialised units within the organisation, including the Emergency Response Unit and Armed Support Units, with intervening in approximately forty-five circumstances, where the planned assassination of targeted persons, by organised crime gangs, was, allegedly, involved.
“On-going liaison with other law enforcement authorities at both national and international level, is maximising the Garda Síochána’ s potential to deliver regular and significant impacts on the world of organised crime,” he continued.
“I want to again compliment all personnel within the Garda Síochána who continuously display an extraordinary level of commitment, professionalism and also bravery, when given difficult assignments, such as that which today, has once again, resulted in the potential saving of human life and the arrest of those, who allegedly, while fully armed, where determined to murder.”
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