Two men have been arrested and a gun and ammunition recovered as part of what gardaí believe was a plan to carry out a murder in west Dublin earlier this week.
The men, aged in their 30s and 40s, were arrested after a vehicle was stopped by a tactical team from the Emergency Response Unit on Rowlagh Avenue in Clondalkin shortly after 8pm on Tuesday.
A semi-automatic Glock pistol, along with a number of rounds of 9mm ammunition, were found when the vehicle was searched.
The two men were arrested at the scene and are being held at a garda station in Dublin.
Gardaí carried out follow-up searches at 18 locations in the Dublin area and two cells at Portlaoise Prison.
Head of Organised and Serious Crime Assistant Commissioner Angela Willis said gardaí believe the gun was to be used to carry out a murder or murders.
More than 300 gardaí were deployed in the course of the operation, including units from the Garda National Crime and Security Intelligence Service.
The gun and ammunition have been sent for further analysis.
