GARDAÍ arrested three men and seized three guns, ammunition, and suspected drugs this Wednesday (October 2) as part of investigations into a violent feud between rival groups in Limerick and Cork.
“As part of ongoing investigations targeting recent criminal damage and violent disorder incidents in North County Cork, Gardaí in Mallow and Charleville conducted a coordinated operation earlier today, Wednesday, 2nd October 2024,” said a Garda spokeswoman.
“In the course of the operation, searches were conducted under warrant leading to the seizure of three firearms and ammunition. These will be subject to further analysis by the Ballistics Section of the Garda Technical Bureau.
“Three men, aged in their 60s, 30s, and 20s, were arrested and detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act 1939 at a Garda Station in the Southern Region.
“The operation involved over 60 Gardaí including members from the Armed Support Unit, the Air Support Unit, Cork County Serious Crime Unit, Limerick County Serious Crime Unit, the Divisional Search Unit, members from the Cork North West Community Engagement area, personnel from the Dog Unit and the Scenes of Crime Unit, and investigations are ongoing.”
A quantity of suspected Xanax tablets, subject to analysis, was also recovered in Wednesday’s Garda operation.
The arrests follow a shooting at a house in Kilmallock, an arson at a property in Charleville, the discharge of a firearm at a vehicle on the N20 Limerick to Cork Road, and damage to a car, all in the last month.
Gardaí suspect that an attack on a house in Charleville last August, in which a 12-year-old girl sustained a serious head injury, is also linked to the violent feuding.
They also believe the attack on the house, in which the girl was seriously injured and required surgery, was in retaliation for an incident in Patrickswell, County Limerick, in which several armed and asked men smashed up a car and windows at a house.
