NSW Police halt alleged Illawarra firearms manufacturing ring - arrest ex-AFP officer Stephen James Martin

A Gold Coast man is the latest to front court alongside a former ex-AFP officer as police probe an alleged illegal firearms manufacturing ring on the southern NSW coast.

Officers made three arrests. Picture: NSW Police

More charges have been laid as part of a major NSW Police investigation into the alleged manufacture of illegal firearms in the state’s south, where a former Australian Federal Police officer was arrested following his alleged involvement.

Queensland man Michael Franklin, 43, is the latest to be charged after a Raptor Squad probe into the alleged manufacturing and sale of illegal guns across the Illawarra region.

The Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast man was taken to Southport Watch House on Tuesday before detectives applied for, and were granted, the man’s extradition to NSW in Southport Magistrates Court.

He was taken to Tweed Heads Police Station and charged with 14 offences relating to the supply of drugs and firearms and participating in a criminal group.

Franklin fronted Lismore Local Court Wednesday before Magistrate Jeff Linden, where bail remained refused and his case was adjourned to April 3.

Guns were seized during the raid. Picture: NSW Police

Franklin is yet to enter pleas.

He joins ex-AFP officer Stephen James Martin, 45, who was arrested in Shellharbour on Monday as part of the major investigation that saw investigators seize a haul of weapons, from machine guns to loaded revolvers.

Police seized a number of items. Picture: NSW Police

The arrest of Martin was made by the State Crime Command’s Raptor Squad under Strike Force Heard about 12.30pm on Monday, with his alleged actions being deemed by NSW Police as “abhorrent”.

During a search strike force detectives – who were assisted by the Tactical Operations Unit, Police Dog Squad, and Pol Air – allegedly uncovered two privately manufactured machine guns, ammunition, balaclavas and cable ties.

Martin’s property at Gerroa was then searched by investigators, who located an additional four loaded revolver firearms, three ballistic vests, a 3D Printer, and an extensive amount of firearm parts including slides, barrels, triggers, magazines, paperwork, electronic devices, mobile phones, and thousands of rounds of various ammunition.

Ballistic vests were seized during the raid. Picture: NSW Police

Various firearms manufacture stations were also allegedly identified in the premises.

Martin was taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station, where he was hit with 20 charges, including knowingly and recklessly directly taking part in a criminal group, as well as charges relating to the supply, manufacturing and possession of firearms and ammunition.

He was refused bail, appearing in Wollongong Local Court on Tuesday before Magistrate Danielle Mansour.

Martin, who is yet to enter pleas, will remain in custody with bail refused.

He will return to the same court on May 28.

The investigation also resulted in the separate arrest of a 16-year-old boy.

The teen was taken to Illawarra Police Station, where he was charged with 16 offences including participate in a criminal group, and other charges relating to the supply and manufacture of firearms.

He was refused bail to appear at a Children’s Court later on Tuesday.

Following investigations and the arrests, Commander of State Crime Command’s Raptor Squad Detective Superintendent Andrew Koutsoufis said officers expected more arrests to be made.

“These arrests demonstrate Raptor’s relentless efforts to make NSW safer,” he said.

“We will allege the people involved in these matters were preparing to manufacture more firearms distribute them throughout Australia, and especially NSW.”

Mr Koutsoufis said the ring involved a “highly sophisticated firearm manufacturing process”.

“We haven’t seen too many firearms of this quality so we are very happy to have seized them.

“They were (allegedly) heavily involved in making the weapons and sell them. They were actively involved in trying to sell them (the firearms) to active criminal syndicates, including dangerous and violent crime.”

Det Supt Koutsoufis said the (alleged) actions of Martin were “completely abhorrent”.

“The alleged actions of this 45-year-old, ex-law enforcement officer in my view are completely abhorrent to the values that I stand for as a law enforcement officer – and I dare say 99 per cent of all police officers that are sworn officers, that these actions are completely against our values,” he said.

“To put himself in that position is something I can’t even fathom to have fallen that far down from his previous standing.

“From one point, trying to keep our streets safe, to acting in this way where he’s (allegedly) making guns to supply to serious criminals ... is beyond comprehension.”

Investigations under Strike Force Heard continue.

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