Tamworth raids: Eight men and women arrested after raids across Tamworth | Strike Force Radius

In total, eight people have now been arrested after two women were charged and a man arrested in Tamworth on Thursday morning.

Police arrested a 54-year-old woman at a home on Denison Street and a 40-year-old woman at a home on Kirkham Crescent, Oxley Vale, just after 6.30am today.

Shortly after, a 29-year-old man was arrested at a home on Falcon Drive, Calala.

All three were taken to Tamworth Police Station where the 54-year-old woman was charged with supply prohibited drug indictable quantity and supply prohibited drug.

The 40-year-old woman was charged with supply prohibited drug indictable quantity, and participate criminal group.

Both women were refused bail and will appear in court on Thursday afternoon.

The 29-year-old man is assisting police with inquiries, and charges are expected to be laid, police said.

Investigations under Strike Force Radius are continuing.

POLICE will allege a Petra Avenue unit was known as "the ice castle" and being used as a base to supply drugs across Tamworth and as far as Victoria.

Five people have been charged and refused bail as part of the elaborate police sting, code-named Strike Force Radius, which aimed to dismantle an alleged ice dealing ring.

The Leader revealed the operation, which unfolded with a show of force of Wednesday morning as specialist police storms homes in North Tamworth off Johnston Street, and the Petra Avenue unit.

A couple, both aged 49-year-old, were taken into custody at the South Tamworth unit and are due to front Tamworth court on Thursday morning on dozens of charges.

Police have confirmed the man was charged with 44 offences including supplying drugs on ongoing basis, supplying a large commercial quantity of drugs, possessing an unauthorised firearm, possessing an unregistered firearm, supplying an unregistered firearm, dealing with property that is the suspected proceeds of crime, and possessing an unauthorised pistol.

The woman was charged with seven offences including large commercial drug supply, and participating in a criminal group.

Oxley police allege the South Tamworth unit was referred to by members of the syndicate as the "ice castle" and will allege in court that it was a distribution centre for drugs across NSW from Tamworth to the Central Coast, and across the border into Melbourne, Victoria.

Police will also allege the man and woman - both aged 49 - were involved in the supply of more than 1.5kg of ice, and large quantities of heroin, fentanyl patches and cannabis leaf.

A 28-year-old man was arrested at a home in North Tamworth just after 6.30am on Wednesday. He was charged with commercial drug supply, participating in a criminal group and two counts of possessing prohibited drug.

A 44-year-old man and 41-year-old woman were also arrested at separate homes in Tamworth.

The 44-year-old man was charged with 24 drug and firearm-related offences and the 41-year-old woman was charged with 20 drug and firearm-related offences.

All five have been refused bail to front Tamworth Local Court on Thursday morning.

In August 2018, Oxley detectives launched Strike Force Radius, backed by the local Target Action Group and Crime Management Unit, to investigate the supply of illicit drugs and guns in the Tamworth area.

Police said since the start of the secret Radius investigation, officers have seized more than 450g of ice, eight firearms, including pistols, shortened firearms and rifles, ammunition, and two electronic stun devices.

During the searches on Wednesday, officers seized two replica firearms, ammunition, mobile phones, electronic equipment, jewellery, cash, prescription drugs, prohibited drugs, and a NSW Police Force jacket.

Oxley Acting Superintendent Kylie Endemi said the arrests are a testament to the collaborative and dedicated investigative work by police.

"Strike Force Radius detectives have been investigating the activities of this syndicate for over 10 months, and these results can be directly attributed to their hard work," she said.

"Prohibited drugs are incredibly dangerous - and ice is renowned for tearing communities apart - so we need to do everything we can to remove it and those supplying it from our local area.

"It is of particular concern to us that an illicit business, known to those that visit as the 'ice castle', has been operating in our community; but we take great satisfaction in dismantling such a destructive network.

"These arrests also serve as a timely reminder that just one firearm in the wrong hands could be fatal and police will continue to target anyone who illegally possesses and supplies guns in the Oxley Police District.

"Our officers work tirelessly to make Tamworth the safest place to live, and we will continue to seize prohibited drugs and illegal firearms targeting criminal activity at all levels."

Investigations are continuing.

FIVE people have been arrested and weapons including guns, a zombie knife and slingshots have been uncovered in a secret police sting in Tamworth.

The Leader can reveal the huge operation unfolded early on Wednesday morning with the force's riot squad and dog unit backing detectives, the Target Action Group and general-duties police as they swooped on sites in North and South Tamworth.

Five people were in custody and being questioned by police on Wednesday night after their arrests in a co-ordinated swoop by police who raided a Petra Avenue unit and North Tamworth location, off Johnston Street.

The Leader was there as a man and a woman - believed to be two of the main targets in the secret operation - were taken into custody during the raid on the Petra Avenue public housing unit.

Two guns, including a pistol, a zombie knife, two slingshots and what police suspect are illicit and prescription drugs were also hauled out of the unit as at least a dozen officers combed it.

A police jacket, two diamond rings, an antique watch and a suspected stolen credit card were also seized.

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One man was arrested by police at the North Tamworth location, while another man was taken into custody by police in South Tamworth. A second Tamworth woman was also arrested on Wednesday morning.

Oxley police were remaining tight-lipped on the arrests, but it's understood they relate to an ongoing investigation into the supply of illegal firearms and drugs in the Tamworth area.

Five people were still in custody on Wednesday night and police said charges were expected to be laid.

Several distraught family members arrived at the Petra Avenue raid on Wednesday morning as the couple were taken into custody.

Officers spent several hours seizing and bagging goods, bundling them into police cars.

A "Closed" sign, and another asking people to take off their shoes, adorned the doors and windows of the unit, which was declared a crime scene for much of the morning.

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