Financial Crimes Squad detectives have charged a man with alleged firearm offences under Strike Force Barbalin.
Strike Force Barbalin was established by State Crime Command's Financial Crimes Squad Arson Unit to investigate a number of arson attacks targeting a tobacconist in Mt Pritchard.
About 9.30am yesterday (Wednesday 11 March 2026), strike force detectives served a Firearm Prohibition Order (FPO) on a 53-year-old man at Mt Pritchard, preventing him from acquiring, possessing or using a firearm, firearm parts or ammunition, in the interest of public safety.
With assistance from South West Metropolitan Operational Support Group, two subsequent FPO compliance checks were then carried out at the Mt Pritchard address and a second address in North Parramatta.
During the searches, police located a tracker device, more than 39,000 illicit cigarettes, six firearms including a revolver and various other replica pistols, shotgun rounds, firearm parts, and a small quantity of substances believed to be prohibited drugs.
A 54-year-old man was arrested and taken to Cabramatta Police Station where he was charged with five counts of possess unauthorised pistol, possess unregistered firearm-prohibited firearm, possess >3 unregistered firearms, 1 is prohibited/pistol-SI, possess ammunition without holding licence/permit/authority, four counts of acquire etc pistol-subject to firearms prohibition order, acquire etc prohibited firearm-subject prohibition order, and acquire etc ammunition subject to prohibition order.
The man was refused bail to appear in Fairfield Local Court today (Thursday 12 March 2026).
Anyone with information that may assist investigations into organised criminal activity is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is managed on a confidential basis. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
