Gardai investigating the activities of west Dublin drugs gangs have uncovered weapons during their search of an area of woodland near the Blanchardstown Shopping Centre.
By the time they suspended the search at dusk yesterday, eight weapons had been recovered and gardai expect to find further weapons after the search resumes at first light this morning.
The search began when gardai received new information in their investigation of the murder of Mr Paschal Boland, who was shot dead by a masked gunman outside his home in Mulhuddart in January. Mr Boland was a drug dealer and gardai believe he was murdered because he was about to expand his operations.
The weapons uncovered since the search began on Friday evening include one full-length and one sawn-off double-barrelled shotgun and two sawn-off "up and under" shotguns. A .22 rifle, a firing 9 mm replica pistol, some ammunition and a quantity of cannabis were also recovered. Two other guns were still being examined at Blanchardstown Garda Station yesterday evening.
The guns were oiled, wrapped in cloth, covered in plastic and bound in black adhesive tape before being buried less than a foot deep by the gang members.
Gardai have arrested 28 people in the last four weeks as part of the investigation. Seven of those have been charged, and two men in their late 20s are in custody in Mountjoy Prison. Gardai believe these men are likely to face further, more serious charges.
Gardai say the drugs gangs being investigated have been responsible for 54 incidents of torture and assault over the last 12 months.
The dig in Blanchardstown was carried out by the Dublin west divisional search team with help from members of the emergency response unit. The Garda airborne unit also took part, using thermal imaging equipment and taking aerial photos. Gardai say they will search the entire woodland area and the search may extend to other parts of west Dublin.
Some of the shotguns are likely to be hunting guns stolen during house burglaries, while the handgun is more likely to have been imported from Britain or continental Europe. Ballistics experts will test-fire every weapon and cross-reference them with shells recovered from crime scenes.
Some 40 gardai take part in conferences relating to the investigation, which senior officers say is likely to have "a knock-on effect" on other investigations.
