Armed gardai swooped on two alleged gunmen shortly before they were to carry out the murder of a gang rival.
Heavily-armed cops launched their strike against the alleged hit team at 4am on Tuesday as they were in a car in the Kilmore area of Coolock, North Dublin.
The Irish Mirror has learned it was part of a long-term Garda operation in which a surveillance team was following the men.
A source said: “This is to do with an attempt on the life of a criminal in the general Coolock area.
“He has links to a number of well-known criminals including Mr Flashy and Mr Big, two major players in the Coolock area.
“But in this instance he was targeted because he had a falling out with another criminal in the area and not because of his activities with those criminals.
“Gardai were certain the murder was due to happen very shortly before they moved in on the pair.
“This is in line with previous threat to life operations and there would have been advanced tracking and listening devices involved.”
The target of the hit is also believed to be linked to Hamid Sanambar, who was murdered following the deaths of Sean Little and Jordan Davis in late May.
The Irish Mirror previously reported Sanambar had stayed in the home of yesterday’s intended victim before the Iranian national was killed.
Speaking on RTE radio, Assistant Commissioner John O’Driscoll said: “There were two arrests made in the Coolock area and two fully-loaded pistols were recovered. Semi-automatic firearms.
“We allege those two firearms were to be used in circumstances where there would be, almost certainly, loss of life.”
A spokesman added: “Gardai attached to the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau carried out a search of a car in the Kilmore area of Coolock at approximately 4am.
“Two loaded firearms, a revolver and a pistol, were recovered in this search and two men, both aged in their 30s, have been arrested and are currently detained in a Dublin Garda station under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act 1939/98 as amended.”
