Fined for importing illegal firearm from Slovakia

A man who imported an illegal firearm from a military shop in Slovakia has been convicted and fined €500 with six months to pay.

Eanna Forde (41), with an address at Meadowbank Grove, Millers Glen, Swords, Dublin, pleaded guilty to the charge of importing into the state an Umarex gas-operated air gun to DPD Ireland, Athlone Business Park, Westmeath, on January 23, 2025.

He also imported ammunition for the weapon, including 10 pepper ball projectiles and 48 rubber projectiles without a licence to do so.

Sergeant Paul McNally, prosecuting, told a sitting of Athlone District Court on Wednesday, March 25, that, on December 13, 2024, at DPD depot, Athlone, customs officers examined two parcels which were addressed to Mr Forde.

The parcels had come from an army military shop based in Slovakia and, upon examining the two parcels, they discovered the gas operated airgun, ammunition and two canisters of pepper spray.

The contents of the parcels were sent for forensic ballistics examination, which confirmed they were firearms.

Mr Forde met with Gardaí by appointment and made a voluntary caution statement. He was fully cooperative, the court heard, and he told Gardaí he had paid €300 online, believing he had purchased the weapon legally.

Mr Forde, who represented himself, said he has no previous convictions and had not come before the courts prior to this.

“I was living in an area that was quite rough and quite dangerous and I thought if something like that was in the house, it would be a deterrent if someone wanted to come into the house,” he said.

“I honestly believed it to be the same as what I had seen in several shops in Dublin. As soon as I found out there was something illegal about the item in question, I cooperated fully with Gardaí and met with them and I have never been in trouble with the law before. I apologise.”

Judge Owens proceeded to convict Mr Forde and fined him €500, giving him six months to pay.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme