Gardai were last night investigating whether a loaded pistol taken from a 20-year-old man in Dublin's north inner city was about to be used in a shooting or passed on to members of a gang.
Two detectives on mobile patrol in the Richmond Road area at 3.30 p.m. yesterday came upon two men acting suspiciously. They were travelling on a motorcycle and carrying a firearm.
A Garda spokeswoman said the men threatened the gardai with the gun and sped off on the motorcycle. The gardai gave chase and arrested one of the men.
A loaded pistol was recovered and the motorcycle was also seized. The man was taken to Whitehall station and is being detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.