Two men arrested after military-style assault rifles and €775,000 cannabis seized in north Dublin
On 26 August 2025, the Dublin Crime Response Team searched a private residence in North County Dublin as part of an operation targeting an organised crime group, seizing 38.6kg of cannabis herb valued at approximately €772,000, two military-style assault rifles, and 135 rounds of ammunition, with a further €5,000 cannabis and one round of ammunition recovered at a second premises. A man in his 50s was arrested at the first scene and a man in his 30s was arrested following the second search; both were detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996. The man in his 50s was charged and is due before the Criminal Courts of Justice, Court 2, at 10:30am on 28 August 2025, and the man in his 30s was subsequently charged and is due before the same court at 10:30am on 29 August 2025. Investigations remain ongoing and the seized drugs are subject to analysis by Forensic Science Ireland.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrested26 Aug
2 reports - Charged26 Aug
2 reports - In court
- Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Two military-style assault rifles, 38.6kg of cannabis herb valued at approximately €772,000, and 135 rounds of ammunition were seized at a private residence, with a further €5,000 cannabis and one round of ammunition seized at a second premises.
- Where
- The searches took place at private residences in the Dublin Metropolitan Region North, North County Dublin.
- When
- The operation took place on 26 August 2025, described as Tuesday in most sources and Wednesday in one.
- Investigation
- The operation was carried out by the Dublin Crime Response Team targeting an organised crime group involved in the sale and supply of controlled drugs.
- Both men were detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996, and the seized drugs are subject to analysis by Forensic Science Ireland.
- Charges
- A man in his 50s was charged and is due before the Criminal Courts of Justice, Court 2, at 10:30am on 28 August 2025.
- A man in his 30s was charged and is due before the Criminal Courts of Justice, Court 2, at 10:30am on 29 August 2025.
- Other details
- Assistant Commissioner Paul Cleary described the rifles as military-style and linked the seizure to organised crime.
39 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe charged man is in his 30s. (garda.ie)
- whatThe seizure involved over €775,000 worth of cannabis (garda.ie)
- whatThe seizure involved two assault rifles (garda.ie)
- whatThe charged man is in his 50s (garda.ie)
- whatThe second arrested man is in his 30s (garda.ie)
- what38.6kg of cannabis herb valued at approximately €772,000 was recovered. (garda.ie)
- whatTwo assault rifles were recovered. (garda.ie)
- what135 rounds of ammunition were recovered and seized. (garda.ie)
- whatA man in his 50s was arrested at the scene. (garda.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- whatA further €5,000 cannabis herb and a single round of ammunition were seized at the second premises. (garda.ie)
- whatThe second male is in his 30s and is also detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996. (garda.ie)
- whatTwo military-style assault rifles were seized during the raid (dublinlive.ie)
- what38.6kg of cannabis herb worth around €772,000 was seized (dublinlive.ie)
- what135 rounds of ammunition were discovered during the search (dublinlive.ie)
- whatA further €5,000 worth of cannabis and a single round of ammunition were seized at a second residence (dublinlive.ie)
- whatA man in his 30s was arrested following the second raid (dublinlive.ie)
- whereThe seizure took place in North County Dublin (garda.ie)
- whereA private residence in the Dublin Metropolitan Region North was searched. (garda.ie)
- whereThe search was of a private residence in the Dublin Metropolitan Region North (dublinlive.ie)
- whenThe seizure occurred on Tuesday, 26 August 2025 (garda.ie)
- whenThe operation took place on Wednesday, 26 August 2025. (garda.ie)
- investigationInvestigations into the seizure are ongoing. (garda.ie)
- investigationThe second man remains detained at a Garda station in the DMR (garda.ie)
- investigationThe second man is detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 (garda.ie)
- investigationInvestigations are ongoing (garda.ie)
- investigationThe operation targeted an organised crime group involved in the sale and supply of controlled drugs. (garda.ie)
- investigationThe operation was carried out by the Dublin Crime Response Team. (garda.ie)
- investigationA follow-up search of a second premises in the DMR North resulted in the arrest of a second male. (garda.ie)
- investigationThe seized drugs are subject to analysis by Forensic Science Ireland. (garda.ie)
- investigationThe man in his 30s is detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996 (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationThe operation was conducted by the Dublin Crime Response Team (dublinlive.ie)
- chargeGardaí charged the second man arrested in the cannabis and firearms seizure. (garda.ie)
- chargeGardaí charged one of the men arrested in the cannabis and rifle seizure (garda.ie)
- courtHe is due to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice (Court 2) at 10:30am on 29 August 2025. (garda.ie)
- courtThe man is due to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice, Court 2 (garda.ie)
- courtThe court appearance is at 10:30am on Thursday 28 August 2025 (garda.ie)
- courtThe man in his 50s is detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996. (garda.ie, dublinlive.ie)
- otherAssistant Commissioner for the DMR Paul Cleary described the rifles as military-style and linked the seizure to organised crime. (garda.ie)
- otherThe operation targeted an organised crime group involved in the sale and supply of drugs (dublinlive.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 27 Aug2025Military-style assault rifles and cannabis worth €775,000 seized in north Dublin
Details the seizure of two military-style assault rifles, 135 rounds of ammunition, 38.6kg of cannabis (€772,000) at a first residence, and a further €5,000 cannabis and one round of ammunition at a second residence. Two men arrested and detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996. Assistant Commissioner Paul Cleary commented on the operation.
suspect, 50s, malesuspect, 30s, male - 26 Aug2025DCRT Seizure of €775,000 Cannabis and Two Assault Rifles, North Co. Dublin - 26th August 2025
Provides ages of the two men (50s and 30s), the legal basis for detention (Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996), details of the second premises search yielding €5,000 cannabis and one round of ammunition, and a statement from Assistant Commissioner Paul Cleary describing the rifles as military-style and linking the seizure to organised crime.
suspect, 50s, malesuspect, 30s, male - 26 Aug2025Update (Court Appearance) - DCRT Seizure of €775,000 Cannabis and Two Assault Rifles, North Co. Dublin - 26th August 2025
One of the two men (50s) has been charged and is due before the Criminal Courts of Justice (Court 2) on 28 August 2025; the second man (30s) remains detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, 1996.
suspect, 50s, malesuspect, 30s, male - 26 Aug2025Update (2): Court Appearance - DCRT Seizure of €775,000 Cannabis and Two Assault Rifles, North Co. Dublin - 26th August 2025
Confirms the second man has been charged and provides his court appearance date at the Criminal Courts of Justice.
suspect, 30s, male