The jury in the trial of two men charged in connection with an arms haul in Cork have been told that the weapons, including two rocket launchers, were being bought by a Limerick criminal gang involved in a local feud.
27-year-old Glen Geasley from Innismore Park, Ballincollig and 21-year-old Sean Callinan, of Pearse Park, Tullamore in Co Offaly, are both pleading not guilty to four charges each.
The charges include conspiracy to possess firearms and ammunition with intent to enable others to endanger life or cause serious injury to property.
Opening the case on behalf of the State, Senior Counsel Tom O'Connell said that it would be the State's case that between 22 February 2007 and the 20 April 2007, the two conspired together and with others to acquire a cache of arms.
They never got the arms because the delivery was a controlled one.
Mr O'Connell told the jury of seven men and five women that it would be the State's case that it had come to the notice of garda intelligence that a Limerick criminal organisation involved in feuding was shopping for weapons.
There would be evidence that gardaí here contacted the UK's Serious Organized Crime Agency and two undercover agents known as 'John' and 'Raj' met with one of the defendants, Glen Geasley, in London on 22 February.
During the meeting, which was filmed and taped, Mr Geasley is alleged to have told them he was representing Wayne Dundon and wanted to buy firearms.
He is also alleged to have told Raj at a later meeting in Cork that they needed the weapons 'for a war in Limerick between Wayne's people and their enemies'.
The jury were told they would hear evidence from one of the undercover agents of visiting Wheatfield Prison in Dublin after asking for a meeting with Wayne Dundon whom they say Mr Geasley called the decision maker, and leaving contact details inside a copy of the Irish Independent which the State would say was later found in Desmond Dundon's cell.
The court also heard that a price of STG£45,000 was agreed for the weapons and that gardaí using weapons from their own arsenal, which were acquired 'during the troubles' arranged a controlled delivery to the Ibis Hotel in Cork on 20 April last.
Both men are pleading not guilty to the charges.
The trial resumes in the morning and is due to last for at least three weeks.
