Two men have admitted possessing loaded handguns with intent to endanger life in Dublin last year.
Paul Zambra, 39, from Inagh Road in Ballyfermot, and 45-year-old Anthony Callaghan, from Millrace Road, Phoenix Park, were arrested last May following a surveillance operation involving specialist Garda units.
The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was told that Detective Inspector Gerard McGrath from the Drugs and Organised Crime Unit acted on confidential information and set up a surveillance operation on Zambra and Callaghan.
The two men were monitored in two falsely registered cars on consecutive days last May in a housing estate in Clonsaugh in north Dublin.
On 29 May armed gardaí stopped Zambra while he was in a BMW and Callaghan, who was in a white van.
Zambra tried to drive off but gardaí blocked him in and found two loaded handguns.
The guns, one with a silencer, were described as being "ready to fire". Both had their serial numbers drilled off, making them impossible to identify.
Detective Garda Glen Summers also testified that a scarf, newspapers and a five litre container of petrol were also found. Zambra was seen on CCTV footage buying the petrol.
Both men were arrested and remained silent when questioned, but both pleaded guilty to possession of firearms with intent to endanger life
The court heard Zambra, a separated father of a five-year-old child, has had a serious drug problem since he was 16 and has served ten years in prison for a serious assault.
Callaghan has convictions for drugs and firearms offences.
Their defence lawyers stressed there was a clear distinction between intent to endanger life and intent to kill.
Judge Melanie Greally said she will sentence the two men next Wednesday.
