Oxley police seize 38 guns in Strike Force Burril undercover operation

Police will allege a syndicate was involved in the manufacture of commercial quantities of methylamphetamine and cannabis.

During the execution of search warrants in the Gunnedah region, police allegedly located chemicals believed to have been used in the manufacture of drugs, as well as, cannabis, firearms, ammunition, firearm parts, fireworks, and mobile phones.

About 11.50am on Wednesday, police attended a house on View Street, Gunnedah, and arrested a 46-year-old man. 

He was taken to Gunnedah Police station and later released pending further inquiries. 

Police said ongoing inquiries led to another search warrant being executed at a home in Stanley Place, Gunnedah.

Just a few hours later, officers attended two rural properties on Mt Nombi Road, Mullaley, and executed warrants. Police seized a number of items for examination.

On the same day an Arnold St home was raided by police at Spring Ridge.

A 44-year-old man was arrested and taken to Tamworth Police Station where he was charged with manufacture prohibited drug - commercial quantity, supply firearm to person unauthorised to possess, supply cannabis indictable and commercial quantity.

He was bail refused at court and will front court again later this month.

A 44-year-old woman was arrested at a property on Johns Road, Quipolly, when officers raided the home.

She was taken to Tamworth Police Station and was released pending further inquiries.

Police said ongoing investigations led to a 23-year-old man being arrested at a property on Brewongle Road, Quirindi, on Wednesday.

It was here police allegedly located five firearms and ammunition, which were seized for forensic examination.

He was taken to Tamworth Police Station where he was charged with a string of charges including possess shortened firearm, possess unauthorised prohibited firearm, not keep firearm safely - prohibited firearm, possess greater than three unregistered firearms and possess ammunition without holding licence/permit.

The man was granted conditional bail to appear at Tamworth Local Court later this month.

In another search warrant on Wednesday, a 51-year-old man, was arrested at Seventh Street, Boolaroo.

Police raided the home and allegedly seized rifles, revolvers, a shotgun, prohibited weapons, firearm parts, a hand grenade, ammunition, railway detonators and cannabis.

The 51-year-old man was taken to Belmont Police Station where he was charged with unauthorised possession of firearms, possesses prohibited weapon without permit, not keep safe prohibited pistol, possess ammunition, possess prohibited drug.

He appeared at Toronto Local Court on Thursday and is due to reappear at Newcastle Local Court next week. 

On Thursday, a 45-year-old man was arrested on Sheaffes Road, Dapto.

Following the arrest, police executed a search warrant at a premises on Farm Road, Dapto where they allegedly seized cannabis, seven firearms, a silencer and ammunition.

The 45-year-old man was taken to Wollongong Police Station where he was charged with supply cannabis - indictable and commercial quantity, knowingly deal with proceeds of crime intent to conceal and possess prohibited drug.

He was granted conditional bail to appear at Wollongong Local Court later this month.

OXLEY police have seized 38 guns, explosives and precursor chemicals to manufacture the drug ice in a massive undercover operation believed to be one of the biggest in the region’s history.

In two days this week, officers raided seven homes at Quipolly, Werris Creek, Spring Ridge, Mullaley and Gunnedah.

The operation, code named Strike Force Burrill, also saw homes raided in the Lake Macquarie and Lake Illawarra commands.

Oxley Acting Superintendent Jeff Budd told The Leader 38 guns, silencers, cannabis, ice, and a grenade had been seized.

“As a result four male offenders have been arrested and charged with a range of offences including fraud, unlawful possess of ammunition, possession of unregistered and possibly stolen firearms, illegally supplying firearms, manufacture a prohibited drug which police will allege was methamphetamine, or ice,” he said on Friday.

Of the 38 weapons seized, six firearms were revolvers, and one has been confirmed as a sawn-off shotgun which police allege was loaded at the time it was found by officers.

“These are weapons in the wrong hands,” Acting Superintendent Budd said.

“This was a significant operation and typifies the degree of commitment from the police in our command, it shows the skill and investigative intent of all our police including the sector police to clear up drugs in our command.”

Police from across the Western Region including Barwon and New England officers as well as the State Crime Command were called in to back up Oxley detectives who led the operation – believed to be one of the biggest in the area’s history.

”During the search warrants police have recovered 38 weapons that are unregistered and possibly stolen,” Acting Superintendent Budd said.

“Further we have located two silencers, explosives and a grenade and police have also seized in excess of 200 litres of what will police will allege are precursors for the manufacture of methamphetamine or ice.”

About two kilograms of cannabis and quantities of ice were also seized.

“This has been a significant investigation targeting organised crime which has resulted in the removal of potentially $1 million worth of ice from the streets of our communities,” Acting Superintendent Jeff Budd said.

“That means there is less poison on the streets.”

Police said more arrests are to come, with two men refused bail to front court at a later date.

“This is a significant operation from our command and we are grateful for our sister commands who have assisted us in carrying out this investigation and we are further grateful for the assistance of the state crime command’s firearms unit,” Acting Superintendent Budd said.