Soviet weapon that caused bomb alert ‘destined for a NI collector’

A DECOMMISSIONED Soviet mortar launcher seized at Dublin Port may have been destined for a collector in Northern Ireland.

The port was sealed off for several hours yesterday morning over a major security alert after a woman attempted to bring it into the country.

The Army’s bomb squad and anti-terror gardai were called to the scene at around 1am after an Eastern European registered van was stopped by officials.

The vehicle was the subject of routine profiling by Revenue and Customs officers, who on closer inspection found it was being used to transport a mortar launcher.

Gardai were alerted with local officers as well as members of the Special Detective Unit (SDU), who deal with paramilitary and other terror related threats, responding to the scene.

The Irish Army’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) was also deployed to Dublin Port and declared the device safe with no munitions found.

The weapon, a decommissioned Russian manufactured 82mm KRH 36Y mortar launcher, has since been sent to the Ballistics Section in Garda headquarters for further analysis.

At this stage gardai do not believe that there was any criminal intent involved in the importation of the weapon and instead believe it was being transported to a collector in Northern Ireland.

Gardai are currently liaising with the PSNI as part of the investigation.

The female driver of the vehicle, aged in her 20s, was arrested under firearms offences and brought to Store Street Garda Station. She remains in garda custody under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act and can be held for a period of up to three days.

A Garda spokesman said: “An Garda Siochana has carried out enquiries with the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

“An Garda Siochana continues to investigate the importation of this firearm into this jurisdiction.”