Detectives have laid more than 100 additional charges against a licensed firearms dealer after he allegedly supplied firearms connected to three Sydney murders, OMCG members, and other organised crime across Australia.
In November 2018, detectives from the State Crime Command's Drug and Firearms Squad established Strike Force Myosoti to investigate the movement of firearms between states and territories.
Strike Force Myosoti detectives, with assistance from the NSW Police Ballistics Unit, made extensive inquiries with other state and territory jurisdictions.
During the course of their investigations so far, they have identified more than 300 pistols have allegedly been disposed of illegally by a Port Kembla firearms dealer.
Police will allege in court that the man legitimately acquired the firearms as stock, before altering the original identification on the firearms and disposing of them to people who are not authorised to possess them.
About 30 firearms have since been recovered and linked to organised crime, including more than 20 pistols located at crime scenes in NSW.
Numerous other firearms have been located at interstate crime scenes including two linked to organised crime investigations in South Australia and a clandestine drug laboratory in Queensland.
All seized firearms have undergone tracing by the ballistics unit to determine their origin and have been allegedly linked to the Port Kembla dealer.
As a result of inquiries, detectives charged a 46-year-old man after he was arrested at a Port Kembla business in April 2019. He remains before the courts.
Following further investigations, the Jamberoo man was charged with an additional 101 firearms offences at Wollongong Local Court yesterday (Wednesday 19 June 2019).
He remains in custody and is due to reappear at the same court on Wednesday 7 August 2019.
The maximum penalty for supplying a pistol to a person unauthorised to possess it is up to 20 years in prison and for altering a pistol record with intent to deceive is up to 14 years in prison.
Anyone with information in relation to gun-related crime is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence.
