Seized arsenal large enough to start war

A massive arsenal of weapons and ammunition destined for criminal gangs in Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic was large enough to start a war, a top police officer has said.

Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable, Sir Hugh Orde, revealed that a total of 230 handguns, 10,000 rounds of ammunition, €450,000 and drugs with an estimated street value of over £4 million have now been seized in the international police operation.

Six people remain in custody in Dublin, Belfast and Amsterdam after forces from the three jurisdictions swooped on the suspected trafficking ring this week.

Sir Hugh said the operation against the criminal underworld had undoubtedly thwarted many murders, kidnappings and other violent crimes.

"We have a large number of lethal weapons that were being distributed across Europe and, in particular, our concern was Northern Ireland and our colleagues in the Republic," he said.

The officer described the operation as the largest against criminal gangs in the UK in his recent memory.

"This is a massive blow (against the gang)," he said. "To re-engineer a distribution network of this size would take a considerable period of time.

"This is a huge criminal enterprise completely wrecked from top to bottom by joined-up police activity".

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