Police ambush blamed on dissidents

Unarmed Irish police were held at gunpoint

Dissident republican paramilitaries are thought to have been behind the ambush of Irish police during an investigation into illegal diesel laundering.

Police on both sides of the border are investigating the incident in which an armed gang held three unarmed gardai at gunpoint, before fleeing into Northern Ireland.

It happened in Carrickameena, in the border county of Louth in the Republic of Ireland on Wednesday.

Customs Officers were investigating a diesel manufacturing operation when they discovered contraband goods in a van.

They included PlayStations, DVDs and CDs which were worth up to £100,000.

The gardai were called in to assist in the operation, obtained a warrant to search the area and seized the items.

Combat clothing

A garda spokesperson said officers were securing the premises when seven men, armed with sticks and bars, jumped out of a ditch.

At least one of the men had a handgun and another had a rifle. They were all wearing combat clothing and balaclavas.

They threatened the police at gunpoint before making off in a Louth registered blue Hiace van full of counterfeit goods across the border into Northern Ireland.

Both the gardai and the Royal Ulster Constabulary are investigating the incident.