Dissident republicans arrested in Garda raid

As part of an ongoing major surveillance operation against suspected dissident republicans, gardaí arrested two men and seized a handgun, ammunition and a car near woods in North Cork.

The men, aged 45 and 32, were arrested at 8.30pm on Friday morning. The first man was detained by gardaí in woodland between the villages of Watergrasshill and Leamlara and the gun was in close proximity. The second man was arrested less then a mile away.

The handgun will be sent to ballistics experts at Garda Headquarters in Dublin to determine if it had been fired during any previous criminal activity.

A senior Garda spokesman said the ammunition found was almost certain to be the calibre used for the handgun. A few months ago, gardaí searching the same area discovered a handgun which ballistic experts confirmed was the weapon which was used to kill a drug dealer in Carrigaline on Aug 4, last.

Father-of-two Darren Falsey was shot a number of times at close range when he went to answer a call at the front door of his rented house at Ashbourne Court on Ferney Road.

Four people have been arrested in connection with his death. Nobody has been charged to date.

Gardaí would not say if the weekend’s operation was connected to the killing.

Gardaí continued to comb the woodland near Leamlara over the weekend, while forensic experts examined the seized car. The two men arrested were taken to Cobh garda station where they were detained for questioning,” the spokesman said.

He said gardaí were particularly interested to hear from people “who may have seen suspicious activity on the main Watergrashill to Leamlara road, particularly near woodland, in recent times”.