GARDAÍ ARE CONTINUING to question five men arrested in Co Kildare yesterday over alleged involvement in an organised crime ring.

The five men were arrested when officers intercepted their two cars at the village of Kill just after 1am yesterday morning.

The men remain in detention at Clondalkin and Ballyfermot Garda Stations, where they can be held for up to 72 hours under Section 30 of the Offences against the State Act.

Newspaper reports this morning suggest that the gang were preparing for an armed raid at the time of the interception, with the Irish Examiner quoting a Garda source saying the gang were “obviously out on a job”.

It was not immediately clear whether the gang were intending to attack a rival gang or to raid a commercial premises.

The Irish Independent reported that one of the cars being used by the men had been stolen in west Dublin in early April. It said two of the five men are brothers, are aged 30 and 35 and are well-known to Gardaí, while the others are aged 35, 27 and 28.

Two weapons – an automatic pistol and a sawn-off shotgun – were also seized.