Gardaí believe murder conspiracy foiled in Dublin as loaded gun seized
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Gardaí believed they stopped a gun murder in Dublin when they moved in on a group of men who were under surveillance, seizing a loaded revolver and vehicle fitted with bogus registration plates.
Detectives working on the operation, which was led by the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (DocB), believe a murder conspiracy was underway when they intervened and that a man from Tallaght, Dublin, was about to be shot dead.
Gardaí believe the suspected target of the attack had fallen foul of a gang from south Dublin. They were trying to establish if Tuesday’s planned attack in Tallaght was linked to an earlier shooting at a house in south Dublin and that both incidents were part of worsening feud.
On Tuesday, a large team of Garda members, led by DocB, moved in on a group of suspects in the Tallaght area and arrested two of the men after a loaded revolver was found.
One of the vehicles being used was found to have been fitted with bogus registration plates and gardaí believe that was done as part of plans for the gun attack on the target.
The men, aged 21 and 55 years, were arrested under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, which allows gardaí to question them for up to 72 hours without charge.
DocB was assisted in the pre-planned and intelligence-led operation by the Special Crime Task Force and national units from Special Tactics and Operations Command (STOC).
As well as the two suspects being arrested and the car and loaded gun being seized, a property linked to one suspect was also being searched. That follow-up operation was continuing on Wednesday as the two arrested men were being questioned.
Assistant Commissioner John O’Driscoll, who commands the Garda’s Organised and Serious Crime section, said gardaí involved in the operation believe they had prevented an attack “that was likely to result in the death of at least one person”.
“The members of the Garda Síochána involved are to be commended for bringing this operation to a successful conclusion by seizing a loaded firearm and arresting suspects,” he said.
More to follow...