Cardinia Crime Investigation Unit (CIU) detectives have seized firearms, drugs and five stolen vehicles after the arrest of a man by the Special Operations Group in Endeavour Hills yesterday.
The 30-year-old man was arrested at a shopping centre on the corner of Heatherton Road and Matthew Flinders Ave about 3pm as part of Operation Paver, an investigation into firearms and drugs trafficking.
With support from Casey CIU and the Dandenong Divisional Response Unit three warrants were also executed in Hampton Park, Dandenong South and Springvale.
Several items were seized during the raids including documents related to alleged criminal offending and a:
• Sawn off double barrel shot gun,
• Smith and Wesson handgun,
• An alleged commercial quantity of meth-amphetamine,
• Alleged GHB,
• In excess of $50,000 of cash,
• Five allegedly stolen vehicles,
• A quantity of explosives,
• Large assortment of firearm ammunition,
• Alleged traffickable quantity of cannabis,
• Seven sets of cloned Victorian registration plates, and
• A set of knuckle dusters
The Hampton Park man has been charged with trafficking of firearms, trafficking a commercial quantity of a drug of dependence, trafficking drug of dependence, possessing drug of dependence, prohibited persons possessing a firearm, theft of motor vehicles and several other charges.
He has been remanded in custody to appear at Melbourne Magistrates' Court today, Friday 6 December.
