Officers from the Violence Suppression Unit (VSU) seized a handgun and ammunition when they discovered a cannabis factory inside a flat in N17.
At 18:30hrs, on Monday, 27 July officers from the VSU were on proactive patrol along Gloucester Road when they came across a suspicious vehicle parked unattended.
Inside the car were 30 bags of cannabis and other evidence of drug use. Officers visited the nearby address of the registered keeper but the flat was boarded up.
They entered and inside found more than 30 cannabis plants.
A thorough search of the flat took place and they soon found a loaded handgun and more than 50 rounds of ammunition.
Inspector Niall O’Neill, said: “Thanks to this dedicated resource to combat violence in the area, a gun has been taken off our streets along with a considerable amount of ammunition. Our work will no doubt have prevented that firearm from being used at some point.
“We are carrying out enquiries to trace the gun’s history and anyone involved with it.
“We’ve also stopped a large amount of Class B drugs from being dealt in the community. We’ll continue to bear down on violence and the VSU forms an essential part of this.”
No arrests have been made and Trident detectives from the Specialist Crime Command continue to investigate.
A crime scene remains in place.
+ The VSUs are dedicated teams established to spearhead suppression activity at a local and neighbourhood level.
We have dedicated resources working to prevent, deter and tackle violence in all its forms, day and night. Our officers continue to work around the clock to identify and pursue offenders, bring perpetrators to justice, support victims, engage and reassure the public, and keep our communities safe.
But we cannot do this alone. Officers need to hear from anyone who has information about crime, those who carry a weapon, or those who exploit others for gain or revenge, while putting young people’s lives at risk.
If you are worried about someone, advice and support is available through organisations including Fearless. You can also visit our website for further information.
