Police allegedly seize pill press and high powered weapons in raids across the Gold Coast

A huge haul of high powered weapons was allegedly found at a Gold Coast property by police targeting a “sophisticated” and “senior group” of drugs distributors.

HIGH POWERED weapons and two pill presses were allegedly found in raids on Gold Coast properties by police targeting a “sophisticated” and “senior group” of players distributing drugs across Australia’s east coast.

One of the pill presses found by detectives at an Ashmore shed was capable of producing tens of thousands of MDMA pills a day, police said.

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Thirteen firearms, including “military style high-powered weapons” and new handguns were allegedly found at a Mudgeeraba property.

State Drug Squad Detective Inspector Bruno Asnicar said police were concerned by the “level of sophistication” of the alleged drug set-up and the weapons, which were “in really good condition”.

New South Wales detectives will apply to extradite two Gold Coast men allegedly connected with a syndicate supplying drugs and “military grade firearms”.

A 27-year-old Highland Park man and 36-year-old Mudgeeraba man were arrested and charged with a string of drug and weapon offences, police said.

New South Wales detectives will apply for their extradition.

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Insp Asnicar said Queensland police were working with partner agencies, including Australia Border Force, as it was clear “the product that’s coming into Queensland and being distributed … is of course coming from overseas”.

“We’re working towards not just identifying the syndicates that are distributing, which of course is still very important, but more importantly that point of entry (of the drugs) so that we can start to close those gaps,” Insp Asnicar said.

One of the weapons seized.

Police said the weapons were in good condition.

“If we can stop the product from getting into the country that’s going to remedy the issue we have with the distribution that’s occurring in all of our states.

“This particular syndicate isn’t a group of kids that have put together a pill press in the back shed and (are) putting out a couple of hundred pills.

“This is the epitome of highly professional organisation that is clearly been put together with a very real, professional purpose.

One of the pill presses police say they found at an Ashmore property.

“This is the top shelf of equipment that you would see out in the road, and certainly paired with the weapons that they had, they’ve clearly got their act together.”

In the raids police also seized drugs, cash and other items allegedly used in the production of dangerous drugs along with computer equipment, hard drives and mobile phones.

Police said 20,000 rounds of ammunition were found at the Mudgeeraba address.

The raids come following the closure of a six-month joint agency investigation into the interstate supply of drugs and firearms.

Three others in New South Wales and Victoria were also arrested.

Insp Asnicar said there were no apparent links to outlaw motorcycle clubs.