GSOC is launching an investigation after a Garda submachine gun was found on the street by a member of the public.

The fully-loaded gun was found in a bag on Harcourt Street in Dublin. It was then handed in to Store Street Garda Station.

Christine Bohan, Deputy Editor with thejournal.ie, broke the story yesterday. She explained that the gun had fallen out of a car used by an armed Garda unit, but at the moment it is unclear whether this was due to human error or an issue with the car boot.

"The fact that it was a responsible citizen who found it is the most reassuring part of this story," she says.

Security and Defence Analyst Declan Power also questioned how this could have been allowed to happen.

"They should let an official statement be issued as soon as possible because everything that's been said so far sounds shambolic."

"There is no way that a firearm should just bounce out of a state vehicle."

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