Police have laid 40 charges after seizing illicit firearms and $500,000 worth of illegal drugs following a series of warrants across Melbourne earlier this week.
The arrests come as part of a major investigation into an alleged criminal syndicate responsible for trafficking drugs and firearms across Melbourne, regional Victoria and interstate.
On Tuesday 27 May, detectives from the Eastern Region Crime Squad, with support from the Special Operations Group and Critical Incident Response Team, executed 13 warrants at residential properties and storage facilities in Balwyn, California Gully, Footscray, Footscray West, Rowville, Spotswood, Sunshine North and Warburton.
Six people were arrested including:
• A 35-year-old Hoppers Crossing man will face 10 charges including prohibited person possess firearm, traffick large commercial quantity methylamphetamine, possess proceeds of crime, and theft of motor vehicle. He was remanded to appear at Melbourne County Court' on 17 September 2025.
• A 36-year-old Rowville man will face 22 charges including prohibited person possess firearm, imitation firearm and firearm related items, possess proceeds of crime, and traffick commercial quantity methylamphetamine. He was remanded to appear at Melbourne County Court on 17 September 2025.
• A 40-year-old Doreen man will face eight charges including traffick commercial quantity methylamphetamine, possess prescribed precursor chemical, possess drug of dependence. He was remanded to appear at Melbourne County Court on 17 September 2025.
• Three men including two aged 34-years-old with no fixed address, and a 43-year-old Spotswood man were released pending further enquiries.
Police have seized approximately:
2kg of illicit drugs including significant amounts of methylamphetamine
Two firearms
Over $150,000 cash
Firearm parts and various amounts of ammunition
GHB, cannabis, steroids and prescription medication
Multiple alleged stolen vehicles.
Another alleged associate of the syndicate was the target of a North West Metro Regional Crime Squad investigation earlier this month.
The 32-year-old was arrested during a search warrant in Ocean Grove on Wednesday 14 May.
Two further search warrants also took place the same day in Oakleigh and Bayswater.
With assistance from eastern and southern regional crime squads, Geelong detectives, the Dog Squad and Australian Federal Police, investigators seized:
More than 340 packets of cigarettes
109 tobacco pouches
325 vapes
Approximately 15ml of 1,4 Butanediol
A small quantity of methylamphetamine
78 illicit prescription pills
More than $30,000 cash which is alleged to be the proceeds of crime
Three allegedly stolen guitars, a fender stool and amplifier allegedly stolen during a burglary in Yarra.
The Ocean Grove man was charged with three counts of deal property suspected to be proceeds of crime, two counts of possessing a prescription drug of dependence, possessing methylamphetamine, handling stolen goods and unauthorised possession of poison.
He was bailed to appear before Geelong Magistrates' Court on 11 July.
A second 32-year-old man was arrested at Oakleigh and released pending further enquiries.
The investigation remains ongoing.
