Four firearms were seized during a police operation targeting illegal hunting and trespass in the state's Central Tablelands over the October long weekend.
The Central Zone Rural Crime Prevention Team conducted a three-day proactive rural crime operation in various state forests surrounding Oberon between Saturday (5 October 2019) and Monday (7 October 2019).
Operation Ambush was conducted by Rural Crime Investigators from the Rural Crime Prevention Team (RCPT) Central Zone, with assistance from the DPI Game Hunting & Licensing Unit (GLU), and officers from Chifley, Central West and Hawkesbury Police Districts.
The operation involved a large number of rural patrols, property inspections, vehicle stops and vehicle searches during which police and GLU officers interacted with campers and inspected numerous hunters who were fully compliant R-Licence holders.
Rural Crime Prevention Team State Rural Crime Coordinator, Detective Inspector Cameron Whiteside, said the operation was another positive outcome from Joint Strike Force Venari which was launched by the DPI GLU and NSW Police Force in September 2019.
"This operation is another positive example of the Rural Crime Prevention Team and the Game Licensing Unit, planning, sharing information and intelligence, and working together under Joint Strike Force Venari to tackle rural crime related issues surrounding illegal hunting," he said.
About 12.15am on Saturday (5 October 2019), Rural Crime Investigators were patrolling the Hume Pine plantation off Knapsack Road at Isabella, 40km southwest of Oberon, when they observed a spotlight within the pine area.
Police located and spoke with four occupants of a Toyota utility which appeared to be set up as a hunting vehicle.
A search of the vehicle was conducted, during which police seized ammunition and four firearms which were allegedly located inside the vehicle, on the rear tray, and two secreted in a bush a short distance away.
A 20-year-old man's firearm licence was suspended pending an investigation.
Inquiries continue.
