Gardaí arrested a man in his early 40s and seized a handgun in the Knocknaheeny area of Cork city in the early hours of this morning.
The arrest was made after concerned members of the public spotted a motorist who appeared to be acting strangely, Cork Beo reports.
A local superintendent has praised their vigilance, saying they "possibly saved a life today".
A spokesperson said; "At approximately 1.30am, Gardaí received a report of a suspicious car in the Knocknaheeny area.
"Gardaí from Gurranabraher Garda Station carried out a patrol of the area and found a car matching the description.
"The car was searched and Gardaí discovered a suspected handgun and a jerry can of petrol. The car was also found to be using false registration plates.
"The suspected handgun will now be sent for analysis.
"A man, aged in his early 40s, was arrested at the scene and brought to Mayfield Garda Station where he is currently detained under Section 30, Offences Against the State Act, 1939."
Speaking at Mayfield Garda Station, Superintendent Michael Comyns of the Serious Crime Investigation Unit in Cork city said "I want to thank the members of the public who picked up the phone and called us when they spotted something they didn’t think was normal.
"The community should be commended for their actions and as a result, we have possibly saved a life here today".
