Port Kembla gun shop owner accused of being a ‘major underworld weapons supplier’

A small time gun shop owner on the NSW South Coast is accused of being a major underworld weapons supplier and selling firearms used in crimes across Australia, including the executions of two of Sydney highest ranking organised crime figures. GUNS REVEALED.

• Port Kembla shop owner arrested over firearms

A small-time gun shop owner on the NSW South Coast is accused of being a major underworld weapons supplier and of selling firearms used in crimes across Australia, including the executions of two of Sydney highest-ranking organised crime figures.

Police allege arms dealer Shane James Simpson oper­ated out of a gun shop in Port Kembla near Wollongong and sold guns which were used in the murders of two of Sydney’s most high-profile gangsters during the past three years.

Simpson Sports owner Shane James Simpson is arrested on Wednesday. Picture: Dylan Robinson

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Another 35 weapons, including semiautomatic pistols, have been found in the hands of organised crime figures during drug arrests, firearm prohibitions orders and covert operations, including raids on outlaw motorcycle gangs.

Police allege that there are over 300 more firearms still missing, which they ­believe could be in the hands of criminals.

Senior police are describing the operation and arrest as one of the most significant ­involving illegal firearms and organised crime.

This Glock 34 was located by Queensland Police during a search warrant at Robertson in December 2017.

MORNING ARREST

Early Wednesday police arr­ested 46-year-old Simpson as he opened his Port Kembla gun shop, while at the same time carrying out search warrants on a property at Jamberoo and a home in Penrose. He was charged with more than 50 firearm-related offences and will appear in court on Thursday.

It is alleged Simpson was using an “anomaly’’ discovered by police to turn legal guns into black-market weapons by falsifying paperwork, which was then submitted to the Firearms Registry.

Simpson is arrested at his shop. Picture: Dylan Robinson

Police also claim Simpson had a munitions-style factory set up, where gun barrels were altered and identification numbers removed.

The NSW Ballistics Unit, working with similar police weapons squads interstate, have matched a number of weapons to crimes scenes, including a number of drive-by shootings in South Australia.

Police carry firearms out of Shane Simpson’s gun store in Port Kembla. Picture: Dylan Robinson

Police said some automatic pistols involved were worth $30,000 on the black market.

“Six months ago the Drug and Firearms Squad began an operation to aggressively target the supply of illegal weapons in this state as well as the theft of firearms,” said Acting Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith, head of the NSW State Crime Command.

“They worked with the Rural Crime Squad, which handles the theft of more than 600 firearms annually that often turn up in the hands of criminals.”

This HS Produkt HS-9 was seized during a Firearms Prohibition Order search at a home at Mount St Thomas in August 2018.

It soon became apparent to the taskforce that legal weapons were being sold in large numbers to dangerous crooks, and the decision to arrest Simpson was made.

“Once it was established that these weapons, we allege, were modified and being sold illegally and used in violent crimes, we acted immediately,” Mr Smith said.

“But we are still investigating and expect many more arrests will be made.”

A Beretta 92FS seized during a drug related search warrant by Eastern Beaches PAC under Strike Force Hughson.

FULL-BORE JOB

Police are reluctant to go into details on how they allege the operation worked but said legal weapons were often bored out and serial numbers altered so their origins could not be traced before paperwork was filed with the Firearms Registry.

Police carry weapons out of Simpson Sports on Wednesday. Picture: Dylan Robinson

The NSW Ballistics Unit has been instrumental in matching some seized weapons to a number of crimes.

“It was old-fashioned detective work going through thousands of serial numbers and ballistic reports looking for leads. It was labour-intensive but paid off,” said Detective Superintendent Marty Fileman, commander of the NSW Drug and Firearms Unit.

“This is the beginning of the end for licensed firearms dealers who are into this sort of illegal operation.”

A Beretta 92FS INOX located in a car and seized during a drug related search warrant by Eastern Beaches PAC under Strike Force Hughson

As the size of the ­alleged illegal trade in weapons became apparent, the detectives involved were criss­crossing the country linking weapons to crimes in Melbourne, Brisbane and South Australia as well as Sydney.

“By the time we finish I expect all states and territories will be involved,” Mr Smith said. “This is by no means the end — we will be speaking with our colleagues in other jurisdictions to make changes and prevent this vulnerability occurring in the future.

“We know one firearm in the hands of the wrong person can be lethal and knowingly supplying a firearm to someone who is not authorised to possess it is just as bad as pulling the trigger.”