Gardaí have found a sub-machine gun and four handguns in a discarded backpack in Coolock, Dublin this afternoon.
The discovery was made after officers chased a suspect in his 20s who was stopped during a routine operation.
The suspect fled the vehicle he was driving and discarded the backpack where the arms were found.
The vehicle, believed to be linked to the investigation, has been seized by gardaí and the firearms will be forensically examined.
Gardaí are still searching for the suspect and say investigations are continuing.