Gardaí find assault rifles after stopping cars in Co Meath

Three men have been arrested after being intercepted by gardaí while in possession of assault rifles and ammunition.

Two vehicles were stopped by officers in the area around Ratoath, Co Meath by gardaí from the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau.

Gardaí described the arrests as being part of an ongoing investigation targeting organised criminal groups involved in the provision and distribution of firearms.

An initial seizure included two assault rifles and several hundred rounds of ammunition. A follow-up operation led to the discovery of two semi-automatic guns, silencers and further ammunition.

The operation, which is ongoing, is being supported by officers in the Emergency Response Unit (ERU).

The three men are being detained for questioning at Ashbourne and Kells Garda stations in Co Meath.

The firearms include two AK-47s similar to those used in the attack at the Regency Hotel last month that claimed the life of David Byrne.

A statement from the Garda said the weapons find was not linked to the inquiry into the murder of Noel Duggan in Ratoath on Wednesday night.

However, The Irish Times understands the guns and ammunition are owned by one side in the feud and that those arrested last night are linked to Gary Hutch, who was last year killed in Spain.

Gardaí are trying to establish if the guns were being moved by that side of the Hutch-Kinahan feud for use in a revenge attack for the murder of Duggan.

Tests will be carried out on the AK47s in a bid to establish if they were used in the Regency Hotel attack.