Gardai seize suspected firearm from hotel housing asylum seekers in Kildare
The weapon is understood to have been found in one of the vents in a room at the Eyre Powell Hotel in Newbridge in Kildare on Friday.
Gardai seized a suspected firearm from a hotel housing asylum seekers last week, the Irish Mirror can reveal.
The weapon is understood to have been found in one of the vents in a room at the Eyre Powell Hotel in Newbridge in Kildare on Friday.
Four International Protection Applicants from North Africa were understood to be staying in the room where the discovery was made.
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After gardai were alerted to the find, they initially believed it was a handgun - but it is now suspected to be a pellet gun.
The weapon has since been sent for a ballistic examination. A source said: “The weapon was very realistic so initially the gardai believed they had found a real handgun after arriving at the scene.
“Thankfully after a closer inspection, that no longer appears to be the case. None of the four people staying in the room claimed ownership of the gun.”
Under the Criminal Justice Act 2009, it is an offence for anybody to be in possession of an intimidation firearm “without lawful authority or reasonable excuse”.
Perpetrators face fines of up to €5,000, five years in prison, or both if they are found guilty. A Garda spokesman said they “were alerted following the discovery of a suspected firearm at a property in Newbridge, Co Kildare on the afternoon of Friday, 21st of June 2024.
“The item was seized and is now subject to ballistic examination.” The Department of Integration did not respond to requests for comment.
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