Huge cache of explosives, weapons dug up at Somerville property
An underground cache of explosives, weapons and drugs has been discovered on a rural property on the Mornington Peninsula.
South East
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A rural property on the Mornington Peninsula has been linked to a huge joint police investigation involving “sophisticated explosive devices”.
The investigation led members of the Joint Organised Crime Taskforce to a Tyabb property on Wednesday where crews using excavators dug up six storage cases from the ground.
Inside, “sophisticated explosive devices”, firearms, ammunition and drugs were uncovered and seized on Wednesday.
The force’s bomb squad assessed the explosives for safe disposal and seized the mammoth amount of weaponry.
The Tyabb search came after earlier raids on properties in Port Melbourne and Albert Park that resulted in three arrests and the seizure of almost $1m in cash, gold bullion, firearms, ammunition, cocaine and methamphetamine.
Police remained at the Tyabb property on Thursday, blocking the driveway to the Pikes Rd house.
It’s understood both the Australian Federal Police and Victoria Police were called to the property late Wednesday.
An AFP spokeswoman said the property had been searched on Wednesday night by its members and officers from Victoria Police.
She said this was part of an “ongoing investigation”.
The JOCTF is made up of AFP, Victoria Police, Australian Border Force, Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and Department of Home Affairs personnel.
It is frequently involved in high level drug investigations.
Police and SES vehicles regularly came and went from the property on Thursday.
The property sat on a quiet unsealed road on the outskirts of Somerville.
It included a humble three bedroom brick house at the end of a long driveway.
The property was mostly farmland, set on the western side of the Mornington Peninsula and off the Tooradin-Tyabb Rd.
