Woman 'travelled on Luas' with garda submachine gun after finding it on Dublin street
Officers from an elite Garda anti-terrorist unit carried out a frantic search of Dublin City Centre after a machine gun and a large cache of ammunition fell out of the boot of their unmarked car.
The officers were in an Audi A6 estate, which was one of three vehicles leaving in convoy from an underground car park at the force’s Dublin regional headquarters at Harcourt Square when the incident took place.
The Audi had to travel over a ramp as it passed a security ramp at the complex.
As the car pulled out into heavy traffic on Harcourt Street two of the emergency response unit discovered that the boot had opened.
They spotted an official bag carrying the MP7 weapon and hundreds of rounds of ammunition had fallen out of the boot.
Officers saw a woman picking up the bag and walking away.
But by the time the driver managed to turn the car in traffic, the woman had disappeared.
Gardai frantically searched the immediate area and also checked with Pearse Street and Kevin Street stations.
It was later established that the woman had jumped on a Luas and shortly afterwards handed in the bag at Store Street station.
Gardai said today that the bag had fallen out of the car at 5.30pm yesterday evening and was handed in 25 minutes later at 5.55pm.
After initial reports suggested the gun was fully-loaded, it is understood the gun was not loaded at the time and nothing was taken from the bag.
Officers said the members of the unit were going out on routine patrol in the city centre at the time of the incident.
Initial inquiries have already been started to establish how the bag with the weapon and ammunition fell out of the car.
Engineers from Audi have also been called in to examine the closing mechanism on the boot of the A6.
Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said he was extremely concerned by the incident.
The garda investigation into the incident will also look at security issues raised by yesterday evening's incident.
https://www.independent.ie/irish-new...-37104136.html