Gardaí and customs in Cork stopped a plan to smuggle guns to a gang involved in organised gang when they seized two weapons and arrested one man.

Officers from the gardaí and customs worked together to raid a number of houses in the White's Cross area outside Cork city early yesterday morning and recovered two handguns and a small quantity of ammunition

Gardaí believe the guns and ammunition had been delivered in recent days to the Cork addresses by legitimate couriers who were unaware of what they were delivering.

A man in his 20s was detained at one of the locations and brought to Cobh Garda Station for questioning.

The man was detained under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, which allows gardaí to hold suspects for up to a maximum of seven days.

The two guns and ammunition have been sent for forensic analysis by garda ballistics experts in Dublin, but gardaí don't believe they were used here during any crimes.