NSW Police led on car chase through Sydney during wild gun arrest

A nationwide police sting targeting illegal firearms has seen more than 80 people arrested and 500 guns seized, as well as a wild car chase.

More than 80 people have been arrested across Australia, including seven in NSW, after a massive nationwide operation targeting illegal guns. Picture: NSW Police

A nationwide police sting targeting illegal firearms has seen more than 80 people arrested, 500 guns seized and police led on a wild car chase through Sydney by a man who they allege planned to make 3D guns.

Operation Athena involved the Australian Border Force, NSW Police and other states on a week of action to target people they believed were making or bringing in illegal guns.

While traditional guns continue to pose the biggest issues for authorities, almost 10 per cent of all firearms seized across Australia during Operation Athena were gel blasters, which ABF Assistant Commissioner Erin Dale said were a major concern.

“Gel blasters ... can look identical to the real handguns, shotguns or even rifles,” Asst Comm Dale said.

Operation Athena saw more than 500 guns seized during a busy week for the Australian Border Force, NSW Police and other state authorities. Picture: NSW Police

“The colours and size of these gel blasters make it very difficult for anyone to tell the difference between a toy and the real firearm itself.”

Across the week between October 23 and 29, hundreds of firearm prohibition order and safe storage checks were carried out across all states and territories.

In NSW several major arrests were made, including a 38-year-old Newcastle man who was allegedly found to be in possession of numerous 3D printers, blueprints for manufacturing firearms, printed firearm parts and ammunition.

Police also found steroids and precursor chemicals at his home, and charged him with several firearm and drug related offences. After facing Newcastle Local Court he was remanded in custody to reappear in court on November 9.

On Thursday police were led on a pursuit by a 40-year-old man from Sydney after they allegedly seized a laptop with 3D printing blueprints for a Glock 17, a 3D printer and reels of 3D printing filament from two addresses.

He was charged with several offences related to the 3D blueprints, as well as driving while disqualified and dangerous driving.

At Yarrawonga, north of Mudgee, police allegedly found several firearm parts, firearm blueprints, a cross bow, gel blaster pistol and equipment used in the manufacture of firearms.

Large amounts of ammunition were seized from a property at Yarrawonga, north of Mudgee. Picture: NSW Police

A 63-year-old man was charged with more than 20 offences and faced Lithgow Local Court where he was refused bail, and ordered to face Mudgee Local Court on November 8.

Elsewhere in the country, a man was allegedly found with four military-style weapons among a cache of 35 items at his suburban Melbourne home, while in Brisbane’s south a 76-year-old man was charged after he was allegedly found in possession of handguns, shotguns and an M60 belt fed machine gun.

NSW Police Drug and Firearm Squad boss John Watson, who is the national chair of Operation Athena, told The Daily Telegraph the week’s operations helped in determining what guns and which individuals they needed to focus on in the future.

“Our firearms licence holders are, for the most part, very compliant, lawful, and do so (hold firearms) with a genuine purpose, but there are still some people operating outside of the law,” Detective Superintendent Watson said.

“I think it’s very, very clear that Australia is fortunate that we have some of the strongest laws in the world on firearms, regulation and compliance.

“We as a nation are getting better at collaborating, sharing intelligence and launching investigations, so as the intelligence comes in we can all respond.

“These operations are all about informing our next five to ten years of investigations.”

Several 3D printers and equipment for manufacturing firearms were found during the searches, but NSW Police Drug and Firearms Squad boss John Watson said the new technology was not as popular as may be thought. Picture: NSW Police

Det Supt Watson said despite much talk about them and 3D printers, blueprints and guns being seized at Newcastle and near Mudgee, they are yet to really make a mark in NSW – or be sought after by organised crime clans.

“We did seize 3D printed firearm parts, 3D blueprints and 3D printers themselves, which confirms for us that there are people out there involved in the illicit manufacture of 3D firearms in NSW and Australia,” he said.

“But in terms of increasing numbers (of 3D printed guns), we’re not seeing those.

“Importantly, we’re also not seeing involvement of organised crime in them, it’s more firearms enthusiasts, who have an interest in guns and technology as well.

“I feel as though a reason we are not seeing a rise in 3D guns is because we are very proactive. 3D guns and 3D parts in this country are all illegal and we take a very strong and stern view on it.”