Man (20s) charged after gardaí seize 3D-printed pistol in Dublin

By Cillian Sherlock, PA

A man in his 20s has been charged after a 3D-printed pistol was seized in Dublin.

It comes after gardaí arrested a man and seized a firearm in the Inchicore area of the city on Tuesday night.

Gardaí described the weapon as a .22 calibre pistol.

However, it is understood that the weapon is similar to other 3D-printed firearms.

While on routine patrol along Turvey Avenue in Inchicore at approximately 8pm on Tuesday night, uniformed gardaí from Kilmainham station stopped a taxi after observing “two males of interest” entering the vehicle.

Gardaí said they smelled cannabis and informed both men they were going to be searched under the provisions of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977.

One of the men was found to be wearing a ballistic vest and in possession of a substantial sum of money, a statement from An Garda Síochána said.

As he was being searched, gardaí said a .22 calibre pistol fell from being concealed in the ballistic vest.

That man, aged in his 20s, was arrested in connection with the seizure and was detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939 at a Dublin Garda station.

He was then charged and is scheduled to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice on Thursday, June 26th, at 10.30am.

The firearm is scheduled to go under a full technical examination.

In the course of a follow-up operation on Wednesday, gardaí conducted a search of a residential property in Dublin’s inner city. A second male, aged in his 20s, was arrested during the operation.

He is currently detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939, at a Garda station in the Dublin region.

Assistant Commissioner Paul Cleary said: “I want to acknowledge and commend the work of two uniform members of An Garda Síochána yesterday evening going about their duties diligently and proactively.

“This was a timely intervention likely to have saved lives or prevented serious injury and is another dangerous firearm which has been taken off the streets of Dublin.”.