Five men arrested in the early hours of yesterday morning following the seizure of two firearms in a Co Kildare village were still in custody late last night.
The men, believed to be from Dublin, were detained after gardaí stopped two cars in Kill, north of Naas, at approximately 1am.
Two firearms were found when officers searched the cars. Gardaí said this was an intelligence-led operation targeting organised crime.
Officers attached to the organised crime unit, assisted by the emergency response unit, carried out the operation.
The seized weapons have been sent for technical examination.
The arrested men were taken to Clondalkin and Ballyfermot Garda stations in Dublin, where they are being detained under the Offences Against the State Act 1939. They can be held for 72 hours before being charged or released.