Mitchell Fitton charged over drugs, alleged importation of firearms
A young man, of Shellharbour, has appeared in court accused of importing illegal firearms he had bought online from the US.
Illawarra Star
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An Oak Flats teenager has been charged with several offences, after he was allegedly found with a large quantity of drugs and counterfeit cash during an investigation into the alleged importation of illegal firearms.
Mitchell Fitton, 19, was refused bail at Wollongong Local Court on Friday, after he was arrested at his Oak Flats home on Thursday, and charged with 14 offences, including possess, supply or make explosive for unlawful purposes, possess or use a prohibited weapon without a permit, possess ammunition without holding licence/permit/authority, intentionally import prohibited tier 2 goods, cultivate prohibited plant, three counts of supply prohibited drug, deal with proceeds of crime, possess counterfeit money, and four counts of possess prohibited drug.
In documents tendered to the court, police allege investigators from the Southern Region Enforcement Squad commenced an investigation into the alleged illegal importation of firearms in the Oak Flats area late last month, after the Australian Border Force (ABF) intercepted a suspicious package.
On February 27, it’s alleged the ABF inspected a box that had been imported by air cargo from the US, allegedly finding three firearms including a Ruger brand Blackhawk soft air rifle, a Smith and Wesson brand .177 calibre air pistol and a Ux Brodax .177 calibre BB soft air revolver.
The contents of the package, allegedly addressed to Mitchell Fitton of Oak Flats, was seized and NSW Police were notified.
In court documents, police allege the firearms were purchased from a gun store in Minnesota, and that Fitton had made three separate payments to the store in November last year.
After confirming Fitton does not hold a NSW firearms licence or permit, police allege they also discovered that Fitton did not make an application for an ‘Authority to Import’ firearms via the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department,
On Thursday, police raided Fitton’s Oak Flats home, where they allege in documents they found ammunition, fireworks, loose leaf cannabis and cannabis plants, as well as counterfeit cash.
It’s alleged police located more than a kg of cannabis in large plastic seal bags, pills believed to be ecstasy, methylamphetamine, 16 cannabis plants at “various stages of growth”, $10,150 in Australian cash, $100 in counterfeit cash, fireworks and three tins of .177 ammunition.
Due to the alleged large amounts of cash, police placed Fitton under arrest and took him to Lake Illawarra Police Station.
At the station, police allege in the documents that Fitton agreed to an interview with officers, admitting he purchased the firearms online in November last year.
However, it’s alleged he told police he did not know it was illegal to purchase the items, given it was so easy to do so online.
It’s also alleged Fitton was asked about the cash found at his home, stating $4000 of it came from a win on the pokies earlier this week.
In regards to the drugs allegedly found at his home, police allege in documents he said they were for personal use, and that he did not intend on supplying them to other people.
In applying for bail at Wollongong Court on Friday, Fitton’s defence lawyer Alyce Fischer argued her client was 19-years-old, and could spend a substantial amount of time in custody if refused bail.
However, police prosecutor Sergeant Ben Bragger said there was a strong likelihood he would be sentenced to a custodial sentence if convicted.
Registrar Bruiceen Coulthard denied the application and adjourned the case to Monday.