Gun trafficking ring busted in Latrobe Valley
Coke, meth, bullets and 20 firearms were among the items police seized during a gun trafficking bust. See the suburbs the ring was based in.
Police & Courts
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Twenty guns have been seized and 11 people charged in a major firearms trafficking investigation in the Latrobe Valley.
Detectives from the illicit firearms squad charged four men with gun trafficking as they confiscated weapons, drugs and proceeds of crime after a series of raids last week.
Properties at Moe, Yarragon, Trafalgar, Labertouche, Pakenham, Warragul, Drouin, Nar Nar Goon and Narracan were searched under warrant as police seized guns, ammunition and other banned weapons.
Methylamphetamine, cocaine, 1,4 butanediol, steroids and a large amount of cash were found as part of the four-month investigation.
Among those arrested were:
A YARRAGON man, 37, who was charged with offences including trafficking firearms and trafficking a drug of dependence.
A 63-YEAR-OLD Narracan man charged with gun trafficking and cultivating cannabis.
TWO Moe men aged 40 and 34, for firearms trafficking.
A 40-YEAR-OLD Drouin man who was charged with several counts of trafficking a drug of dependence and possessing the proceeds of crime.
A WARRAGUL man, 52, who was charged with methylamphetamine possession and drug trafficking.
A LABERTOUCHE man, 42, for firearms trafficking.
A PAKENHAM man aged 44, a Labertouche man aged 54 and a Nar Nar Goon man aged 27 were released pending further inquiries.
The operation also involved officers from the eastern region crime squad, the Latrobe Valley Crime Investigation Unit, the Morwell divisional response unit, Cardinia CIU, the southern metro divisional response unit, the dog squad and the Federal Police anti-gangs squad.
Police served four firearm prohibition orders, which give them powers including searching without a warrant.
Detective Superintendent Peter Brigham said the operation was a great result.
“Seizing this number of firearms and firearm-related items is a great outcome for community safety,” he said.
“We know illicit firearms often feature heavily in some of our most serious and violent crimes such as homicides, armed robberies, aggravated burglaries and family violence, as well as in the drug trade.
“Rest assured, we will target those involved and we will continue to work tirelessly to ensure we further disrupt the trafficking and use of firearms in Victoria.”
All of the accused will appear in court at a later date.
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