A Tipperary man who was caught transporting almost €2.85m worth of drugs and 27 working pistols, ammunition and silencers has been sentenced to 12 years in prison by Judge Patrick McCartan.

A massive arsenal of weapons and ammunition destined for criminal gangs in the North and the Republic was large enough to start a war, PSNI Chief Constable Hugh Orde said today.

A massive weapons consignment destined for crime gangs in the North and the Republic has been intercepted by police in Amsterdam, it was revealed tonight.

Three men and a woman were arrested today after a massive weapons cache was uncovered in Amsterdam as part of an international investigation into an Irish crime gang.