A 28-year-old man has appeared in court charged with the possession of a gun, silencer and ammunition in suspicious circumstances.

It follows a confrontation with armed gardai in Dublin this week.

On Wednesday afternoon at around 3pm, a van failed to stop for gardai from the Special Crime Task Force on Kylemore Way in Inchicore.

It was eventually halted and a gun and silencer were found at the scene

Gardai fired a number of shots during the operation.

A man in his 20s was arrested at the scene and brought to Ballyfermot Garda Station for questioning.

This evening, 28-year-old Andrew O’Keeffe of Drumcliffe Road in Cabra West in Dublin appeared before the Dublin District Court charged with the possession of a Beretta handgun, a silencer and nine rounds of ammunition in suspicious circumstances on Kylemore Way in Inchicore on Wednesday the 6th of September.

The court heard he made no reply when charged at Ballyfermot Garda Station at 3.41pm this afternoon.

Judge Anthony Halpin was told there was no application for bail at this stage and the accused was remanded in custody to appear in court again next Wednesday.

Mr O’Keeffe, who was wearing a navy t-shirt and grey tracksuit bottoms, didn’t speak during the brief hearing.