Gardaí in Cork last night arrested a seventh person as part of their investigation into the activities of dissident republicans suspected of murdering a Cork drug dealer.
The 53-year-old man was arrested at 10pm last night in Ballinlough under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act and brought to Mayfield Garda station.
He was being questioned about the activities of dissident republicans who last year claimed responsibility for the murder of Gerard 'Topper' Stanton in Cork in January 2010.
Last night's arrest followed that of five men and a woman who were arrested in a series of dawn raids involving over 80 gardaí early yesterday morning.
Armed detectives backed up by armed members of the regional support unit raids houses in Ballintemple, Richmond Hill, Douglas and Knocknaheeny in the city.
They also raided houses at Glanmire and Ballygarvan in the county as part of the intelligence led operation against dissident republicans in the Cork area.
Those arrested ranged in age from early 20s to late 50s and all were questioned about dissident activity and the murder of Mr Stanton at Westlawn near Wilton.
Two of those arrested were taken to the Bridewell Garda station and two more to Mayfield with one being brought to the Gurranabraher and one to Togher station.
Gardaí last night released a 57-year-old man from Knocknaheeny who had been held in Mayfield. A file will be prepared for the DPP
Gardaí seized 320 rounds of 9mm ammunition for an automatic weapon in the raid on a house in Ballygarvan. The ammunition has been sent for technical examination.
Officers also seized computers, printers and mobile phones which gardaí suspect may have been used in the production of leaflets threatening drug dealers.
