Two males, Mark McCourt, 33, from Edencrieve, Co Down, and Conor O’Brian, 27, from Kilpatrick, Ardee, Co Louth, were presented at Dublin District Court on Wednesday, accused of involvement in the confiscation of 18 guns and over 900 ammunition rounds in Co Louth the preceding Friday. The charges were brought by investigators from the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB).
As part of a sustained operation against organised crime, 18 guns and an estimated 900 rounds of ammo were confiscated from an establishment on John Street, Blackstick, in Ardee. Around 2pm, officers from the GNDOCB, backed by the Garda Emergency Response Unit, executed a property search. The sweep resulted in the confiscation of six AR-15 assault rifles, 12 semi-automatic 9mm handguns, and approximately 900 rounds of 9mm and .223 ammunition.
Subsequent searches were conducted at various locations in the county, with support from the Louth Divisional Crime Unit, Louth Drug Units, and the Garda Dog Unit. Two males were subsequently apprehended under Section 72 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, suspected of aiding a criminal organisation with gun trafficking. They were held at a Garda station in Louth, under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007.
In light of the arrests, Assistant Commissioner for Organised and Serious Crime, Justin Kelly, highlighted the importance of the confiscation. He noted that these tools of violence would almost certainly have harmed or intimidated citizens across Ireland, acting as a lifeline for organised criminal groups, especially those involved in drug trafficking.
Reminiscing on the operations of the day, he praised the commitment of all Garda personnel, emphasising their dedication to combating organised crime in Ireland. The duo was formally charged at the Drogheda Garda station. Both abstained from seeking bail and will appear via video link at the Cloverhill District Court the following Wednesday.