Gardaí believed they stopped a 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, believe a murder conspiracy was underway when they intervened and that a man from Tallaght was about to be attacked.
Gardaí believe the suspected target of the attack had fallen foul of a gang from south Dublin. They were trying to establish if the planned attack 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 moved in on a group of suspects in the Tallaght area and arrested two men after a loaded revolver was found.
One of the vehicles being used was found to have been fitted with bogus registration plates.
The men, aged 21 and 55, are being held 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).
A property linked to one suspect was also searched.
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.
