Homemade guns seized after a police investigation into illegal firearms

Homemade guns and stolen cars have been seized in several northern Victorian towns as part of an operation targeting illegal firearms

Homemade guns were seized from from Wangaratta and Wodonga as part of a police operation.

Homemade guns and stolen vehicles were seized by police in raids aimed at wiping out illegal firearms from the streets in the state’s north.

Police executed warrants in Wangaratta and Wodonga last week, uncovering several illicit firearms and stolen cars that resulted in two men being charged.

Intelligence from NSW Police led Victoria Police to a property in Wodonga, searching the home and seizing a double barrel 12g slam gun — a homemade firearm cobbled together with various materials — and several stolen cars.

A 27-year-old Wodonga man was arrested and charged with manufacturing firearms and was remanded to appear in court on Friday.

In Wangaratta, officers followed a vehicle allegedly involved in an earlier traffic incident.

As police tried to intercept the vehicle, the driver allegedly sped off.

Officers later executed a search warrant at a Wangaratta property where they seized a sawn off .22 shotgun.

A Wangaratta man, 19, was charged with possessing traffickable quantity of firearms, discharge firearm and other drug related offences.

He was remanded to appear at Wodonga Magistrates Court at a later date.

Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Mathew Prestage put offenders on notice and said the force would not tolerate such offending.

“We want to send a clear message to anyone illegally carrying firearms: we won’t just make one arrest and stop. If you’re involved in this activity, expect us to come knocking,” he said.

“We will continue to work with police jurisdictions over the border to share information and tackle crime together.”

Both investigations remain ongoing.