FIVE men and a woman were arrested by armed detectives who stopped a van in Tallaght last year, the Special Criminal Court heard yesterday.
Inside the van gardai found a sawn off shotgun and a loaded revolver, as well as a wig, a false moustache, a black balaclava, gloves, two holdall bags and plastic ties.
Before the court were Mr Martin McGrath (43), of Eastend, Main Street, Bundoran, Co Donegal; Mr Joe Mounsey (35), of Shallee Drive, Claughley, Ennis, Co Clare; Mr Sean Patrick Moore (25), of Beechgrove, Monaghan; Mr Richard Wallace (30), of Clarina Avenue, Limerick; Mr George Buckley (21), of Springdale Road, Raheny, Dublin; and Ms Josephine Hayden (54), of Knockmore Grove, Tallaght Dublin.
Mounsey and Buckley pleaded guilty to possession of a sawn off shotgun, a revolver, five shotgun cartridges and two rounds of revolver ammunition for an unlawful purpose at Tallaght on May 4th last year.
They pleaded not guilty to having the sawn off shotgun, revolver and ammunition with intent to endanger life and to having the guns and ammunition with intent to commit a robbery at Tallaght on the same date.
The other defendants made no reply when arraigned and pleas of not guilty were entered on their behalf by direction of the court.
Mr Denis Vaughan Buckley SC prosecuting, read a statement of admitted facts to the court which had been agreed in advance by counsel for the accused.
He said that two detectives had seen Buckley and another person enter a flat in the Rathmines area. Buckley was later seen coming out of the flat carrying a hold all bag which he put in a white Toyota van.
The six accused were then seen leaving the flat and getting into the van.
Armed members of the Special Detective Unit stopped the van at the junction of the Belgard Road and Old Blessington Road in Tallaght.
Det Sgt Brian Sutton opened the side door of the van and saw Mr Wallace, Mr Moore, Mounsey and Buckley sitting on the floor. He saw a shotgun and handgun in the back of the van and shouted: "There are firearms in the van."
Det Garda Dave Sheedy who was at the rear of the van broke the rear window of the van and shouted: "Armed gardai do not touch the guns."
The four men were taken from the rear of the van as well as the driver, Mr McGrath and the front seat passenger, Ms Hayden.
The court is due to give its verdict in the case today.