Eight arrested, guns, drugs, stolen goods snared in massive sting in Melbourne’s southeast

Police have busted eight men for allegedly peddling military-style guns after weapons, drugs and stolen goods were uncovered in mass raids in Melbourne’s southeastern suburbs.

Eight men have been busted for allegedly peddling military style guns in Melbourne’s south eastern suburbs.

An AR-15 semi-automatic military assault rifle, a loaded gun, three handguns, ammunition, weapons, cash, cocaine, testosterone and several other drugs were among the cache of illicit goods police seized in raids across Berwick, Hallam, Lysterfield, Eumemmerring, Cardinia and Koo Wee Rup.

Two stolen cars and other stolen goods were also uncovered in the massive sting.

Victoria Police’s bikie Viper task force, the Illicit Firearms Squad, Dog Squad and the Australian Federal Police’s Geomatics team, which uses cutting-edge technology to track down serious offenders, carried out the joint raids.

Police brought in the force’s tactical Special Operations Group to arrest two 33-year-old and 31-year-old men in Koo Wee Rup just after 2am on Thursday morning.

Detectives charged the 33-year-old man, who had already been banned from owning and using guns, with possessing a traffickable quantity of firearms and two counts of possessing firearms while under a firearm prohibition order.

Men arrested for allegedly peddling guns in Melbourne’s southeastern suburbs.

The 31-year-old was charged with possessing a traffickable quantity of firearms.

The pair, whose names have been suppressed along with several other alleged members of the gun trafficking syndicate, were remanded in custody and expected to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates court on Friday.

The Special Operations Group arrested another four men in Berwick, Hallam and Eumemmerring.

Those arrests included a 30-year-old Berwick man and three 24, 27 and 21-year-old men from Hallam.

Police charged another six men over their alleged involvement in the syndicate.

A 24-year-old Hallam man was charged with trafficking a large commercial quantity of cocaine and possessing a traffickable quantity of firearms.

Men arrested for allegedly peddling guns in Melbourne’s southeastern suburbs.

A 21-year-old Hallam man was charged with possessing a longarm firearm and carrying on business dealing with firearms.

Another man was charged with possessing a firearm and carrying on business of dealing with firearms, and a 20-year-old Hallam man was charged with trafficking a large commercial quantity of cocaine, possessing a firearm and carrying on the business of dealing with firearms.

All four were remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates court on Friday.

Meanwhile, police also charged a 30-year-old Berwick man with possessing a traffickable quantity of firearms.

He was remanded to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates court on July 3.

A 27-year-old Hallam man was bailed to front court on June 16 on charges of possessing cocaine and possessing methylamphetamine.

Investigations into the syndicate continue.

Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.