Cops seize cache of knives and drugs in Cairns CBD bust

Police have charged a Holloways Beach man after allegedly uncovering a huge cache of weapons and cannabis during a routine traffic stop just outside the Cairns CBD.

Police have charged a Holloways Beach man after allegedly uncovering a huge cache of illegal weapons and cannabis during a routine traffic stop just outside the Cairns CBD.

Officers from Cairns Police Station stopped a silver-coloured Holden Commodore at 4am on Tuesday morning.

The driver of the vehicle was stopped on Hartley Street and submitted to a roadside drug test which returned a positive result.

Police have allegedly found 16 edged weapons, including an axe, a quantity of cannabis and suspected stolen jewellery during a traffic stop in the Cairns CBD. Picture: Queensland Police

Suspect items were visible to officers through the rear window of the vehicle and in a video of the arrest released by police, an officer can be heard asking the driver, “Do you usually carry a knife in your centre console there?”.

Following a full search of the vehicle police allegedly found 16 edged weapons, including an axe, a quantity of cannabis found in a Silly Solly’s bag and suspected stolen jewellery.

Cairns City Patrol Group Inspector Jamie Horn said the vehicle was intercepted for a random breath test.

“That is sent away for testing but it’s returned a positive result at this point,” he said.

“There were a total of 16 edged weapons going in the vehicle, everything from small knives, hunting knives, fishing knives, a small tomahawk and, very concerningly, a samurai-type sword.

“The man was also, unusually, in possession of quite a number of stones.”

In Queensland, it has been illegal to carry a knife in a public place or school without a reasonable excuse since the updating of the Weapons Act came into effect in 2023.

The law states that a person must not possess a knife in a public place or school unless they have a reasonable excuse, such as using it for a lawful purpose.

Police also allegedly found cannabis in a Silly Solly’s bag. Picture: Queensland Police

The 41-year-old man from Holloways Beach was arrested and charged with one count of possessing dangerous drugs, possessing a knife in a public place, unlicensed driving, driving with a relevant drug present in his blood or saliva and unlawful possession of suspected stolen property.

The man was refused bail and was due to appear in the Cairns Magistrates Court on Tuesday, June 24.

Found in possession of the man was a number of rings police are now trying to reunite with their owners.

Police are looking for the owners of these rings suspected of being stolen by a man arrested during a random breath test overnight.

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Originally published as Cops seize cache of knives and drugs in Cairns CBD bust