Gold Coast crime: Mudgeeraba man charged for alleged gun trafficking
A Gold Coast man has been charged with gun trafficking as a major investigation into firearms and explosives continues.
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A MUDGEERABA man has been charged with gun trafficking as a major crime investigation into firearms and explosives continues.
Earlier this year The NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT) – comprising the Australian Federal Police (AFP), NSW Police Force (NSWPF), the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and NSW Crime Commission – received information relating to a group with alleged access to illegal firearms and members with suspected extremist ideology.
Operation Bouwel was formed and began to investigate the group’s suspected involvement in the acquisition and supply of firearms and explosives.
Three men – aged 26, 29 and 30 – were arrested and charged in June. They remain before the courts.
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Further investigations by the NSW JCTT and the Gold Coast Joint Organised Crime Task Force led to an operation in southeast Queensland on Tuesday.
A 38-year-old from Mudgeeraba was arrested outside a Robina gym and taken to Southport Watch House.
A mobile phone and encrypted phone were allegedly seized after the man and his belongings were searched.
He was charged with a cross-border offence of disposal or acquisition of a firearm.
The man was granted strict conditional bail and was due to appear at Southport Magistrates Court on October 27.
Investigations continued at homes at Mudgeeraba and Bonogin and a Varsity Lakes beauty salon after the arrest.
Police allegedly seized cash, an encrypted phone, clothing and documents during the searches.
A search warrant was then undertaken at Rosedale, outside of Bundaberg, about 8am on Wednesday.
A double barrel shotgun, pump-action shotgun, .22 calibre rifle, and various calibres of ammunition were allegedly seized.
Another search warrant was executed on a property at Lowmead about midday Wednesday.
Officers allegedly found equipment linked to large-scale drug manufacture and cultivation.
It’s alleged two more firearms – both SKS rifles – were also seized from the property.
A plane inside a hangar was also searched at Gold Coast Airport on Thursday.
The Cessna also underwent a forensic examination and the logbook was seized.
NSWPF Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics commander Acting Assistant Commissioner Michael McLean said Operation Bouwel demonstrated the effectiveness of law enforcement co-operation across jurisdictions and areas of expertise.
“The NSW JCTT has so far seized more than 20 firearms across two states during Operation Bouwel and our inquiries have once again uncovered strong links between potential acts of terrorism and organised criminal activity,” he said.
“Regardless of the individual’s motivation, a firearm in the possession of someone who should not have it can have devastating circumstances, and the NSW Police Force will continue to target anyone who seeks to do harm within our community.”
AFP Assistant Commissioner Counter Terrorism and Special Investigations Scott Lee said the high-calibre of weapons seized was troubling.
“I want to thank the NSW JCTT and Gold Coast JOCTF investigators for their diligent efforts in taking these weapons off the streets and in following the trail of the organised crime network supplying them from NSW to Queensland,” he said.
“This work will continue as we are all determined to bring everyone involved in this network to account for their criminal actions.
“The primary objective of the NSW JCTT is to protect the community, and having these weapons out there poses a threat to not only the intended targets of criminality, but innocent people who may find themselves unwittingly at a location where someone illegally uses these firearms.”
Investigations under Operation Bouwel are continuing.
If you have any information for police contact the National Security Hotline on 1800 123 400 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Originally published as Gold Coast crime: Mudgeeraba man charged for alleged gun trafficking