HOW THE DRAMA UNFOLDED

At 5.30pm on Tuesday, three vehicles carrying two members of the Armed Support Unit were leaving an underground car park at the Garda complex at Harcourt Square.

They had turned into traffic on Harcourt Street-Hatch Street when the gardaí realised the boot of the vehicle had opened. They saw a woman pick up the bag.

The gardaí searched the immediate area and also checked with local stations at Pearse Street and Kevin Street.

At 5.55pm gardaí were told that the woman had put the bag into her car anddrovetoStore Street station where she gave the bag to local officers, 25 minutes after it had fallen from the boot.