LAST UPDATE | 25 Jun 2025

A MAN WHO gardaí searched after smelling cannabis in a taxi he was in had a gun fall out of a ballistic vest he was wearing, gardaí said.

It’s believed that the weapon is a 3D-printed pistol. 

Gardaí said they had observed two “males on interest” entering a taxi while on routine patrol in Inchicore yesterday evening, at approximately 8pm.

The gardaí stopped the taxi, and were met by the strong smell of cannabis.

The two males were told they were going to be searched under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977.

One of the males, aged in his 20s, was found to be wearing a ballistic vest, or bulletproof vest, and a gun fell out of it during the search.

He was also found to be in possession of a substantial sum of money.

Gardaí seized they described as a .22 calibre pistol and the vest and arrested the man in connection with the seizure. 

He is currently detained at a garda station in Dublin.

The weapon is understood that the weapon is similar to other 3D-printed firearms and will now be sent for a full technical examination. 

A second man, aged in his 20s, was also arrested in a follow-up operation tonight after gardaí conducted a search of a residential property in Dublin’s inner city.

He was detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act 1939, at a Garda station in the Dublin region.

Assistant Commissioner Paul Cleary said: “I want to acknowledge and commend the work of two uniform members of An Garda Siochana yesterday evening going about their duties diligently and proactively.

“This was a timely intervention likely to have saved lives or prevented serious injury and is another dangerous firearm which has been taken off the streets of Dublin.

“Gardai across the Dublin region are on duty 24 hours a day, supporting local communities and working hard to An Garda Siochana mission of keeping people safe”.

- With reporting by Press Association