Operation Discompose: Drugs, weapons seized at Mermaid Beach home

Two people have been charged as part of a major operation targeting gang activity and trafficking on the Gold Coast after police allegedly found multiple weapons and a suitcase filled with drugs inside a Mermaid Beach home.

Two people have been charged after police allegedly found a suitcase filled with drugs and multiple weapons inside a Mermaid Beach home.

Officers from the Organised Crime Gangs Group and Gold Coast police searched the property on Wednesday as part of Operation Discompose and allegedly discovered a large bag containing multiple loaded handguns, knives and assorted ammunition.

Police also allegedly seized a suitcase filled with cocaine, MDMA, scales, encrypted mobile phones and branded clip-seal bags.

Officers also searched a vehicle at the property and allegedly found three firearms, dark tactical clothing, balaclavas, gloves, radios with headsets and zip-tie cuffs.

Guns allegedly found by police on Wednesday. Picture: Queensland Police

Tactical clothing allegedly found by police on Wednesday. Picture: Queensland Police

Adam Christopher Childs, 34, was arrested and charged with a string of offences including three counts of possessing a handgun, two counts of possessing dangerous drugs and multiple other weapons charges.

He fronted Southport Magistrates Court on Thursday, where the court heard he had admitted in a police interview to possessing weapons, a phone and the drugs found on his person and on a kitchen countertop.

His defense duty lawyer Ashleigh Nicholls told the court he had not made admissions to possessing the second phone or the items found in the vehicle.

She told the court Mr Childs had strong ties to the community and resides with his wife of eight years in Robina.

Ms Nicholls said Mr Childs’ wife, who has been diagnosed with cancer and is not charged with any wrongdoing, has been in hospital undergoing surgeries this week and will require one month post-op care before undergoing further cancer treatment.

She said her client didn’t have access to his wife’s number since his phone had been seized and his wife would not know where he was at the moment.

Magistrate Deborah Mitchell noted seven or eight days before his arrest, Mr Childs had allegedly been residing at the temporary accommodation while his wife was getting cancer treatment.

Ms Mitchell noted while Mr Childs’ wife was unwell, the couple did have a friend who helped care for her.

She said although Mr Childs had not committed a crime for more than 10 years, the police allegations did demonstrate a high level of offending.

He was denied bail and will front court again on August 28.

An 18-year-old woman was also arrested and charged with three counts of possessing dangerous drugs, one count of possessing explosives (ammunition) and one count of possessing utensils.

She will front Southport Magistrates Court on August 13.

Earlier this week, two other people were charged as part of the major operation targeting gang activity and a local drug trafficking network.

Police searched a property on Second Ave in Broadbeach and another in Leonard Ave in Surfers Paradise, allegedly finding cocaine, multiple mobile phones, prescription medication and a money counter.

Andrew James Stout, 36, and Jack Edward Daly, 28, were both taken into custody and fronted Southport Magistrates Court on Monday.

The court heard Mr Stout was on probation for drug-related offending at the time of the current allegations, but had a poor compliance record including testing positive for cocaine on June 11 this year.

The court found he was an unacceptable risk of drug reoffending, considering the “not insignificant” amount of cocaine he was allegedly found with.

Mr Stout has been charged with four offences including supplying dangerous drug namely cocaine and possessing $9000 cash suspected of being the proceeds of a drug offence.

He was denied bail and will front court again on August 28.

Mr Daly is facing six charges including supplying dangerous drug namely cocaine, possessing cocaine in excess of 2g, possessing dangerous drug namely diazepam and possessing property suspected of having been used in connection with commission of a drug offence, namely mobile phone and electronic scales.

He was granted bail to live with his mother in Pimpama and will front court again on August 7.

Originally published as Operation Discompose: Drugs, weapons seized at Mermaid Beach home