Russian organised crime figure arrested after bombs, guns, drugs seized in Mornington Peninsula

A huge joint police investigation has led to a Russian organised crime figure being arrested and charged after police allegedly uncovered explosives, guns and drugs at a Mornington Peninsula property.

Three Melbourne men including a Russian organised crime figure have been charged after more than 40 guns, almost $1m cash and bombs were seized in raids at properties across the state.

A huge police investigation led a team of officers to Pikes Rd in Tyabb, on the fringe of the Mornington Peninsula, where crews using excavators dug up six storage cases from the ground on Wednesday.

Inside, “sophisticated explosive devices”, firearms, ammunition and drugs were uncovered and seized by the Victorian Joint Organised Crime Taskforce.

Detectives from JOTCF, who work to cripple organised crime across the country, had earlier been notified by members of the Australian Border Force who had detected a fake Dutch passport in the international mail system.

Officers, who found the passport in a package that was addressed to a business in Burwood, conducted a controlled delivery of the package to the business on January 5.

Later that day, a 46-year-old North Fitzroy man attended the business and left with the package, before allegedly delivering it to the alleged Russian organised crime member.

Federal police arrested a 49-year-old man in Albert Park. Picture: AFP

Police allegedly identified the man, 49, in the passport photo and allege he was planning to use it to flee the country to avoid fronting court.

Officers arrested the 49-year-old in Port Melbourne on Wednesday and found a stack of illicit cash and a camera which had stored pictures of guns and a grenade.

A search of his Albert Park home found gold bullion coins, USBs and about $400,000 in Australian and US currency.

Those raids led Victoria Police to the Tyabb property which has alleged links to the group.

The force’s bomb squad assessed the explosives for safe disposal and seized the mammoth amount of weaponry.

Pikes Road in Tyabb was the scene of a huge investigation. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

Further amounts of firearms and ammunition were also uncovered in PVC pipe hidden underground at a property in Humevale.

The 46-year-old North Fitzroy man was arrested at his home, where police seized three unlawful firearms, cocaine, methamphetamine and three mobile phones.

A 64-year-old man was also arrested in the CBD as officers raided his Brighton home, seizing about $600,000 cash.

He was granted bail on Thursday.

AFP Detective Acting Superintendent David MacGregor said the arrests prevented further harm to local communities.

“The nature of this alleged offending is very concerning and our investigations are continuing into organised criminal group links,” he said.

“Removing cash suspected to be linked to illegal activity is also important to prevent it being used to fund future criminal ventures.”

The investigation remains ongoing and further arrests have not been ruled out by police.