Criminal Groups Squad detectives have laid additional charges against a man as part of ongoing proactive activities to prevent and disrupt serious and organised crime within the community.
Last Thursday (28 October 2021), detectives from State Crime Command’s Criminal Groups and Raptor Squads conducted a Firearm Prohibition Order (FPO) search at a unit at Westmead.
During the search, police located a loaded handgun, a gel-blaster firearm, ammunition, and about 22 grams of white powder, believed to be cocaine. A crime scene was established, and all items were seized to undergo forensic and ballistic examination.
A 24-year-old man and 34-year-old woman were arrested at the property and taken to Granville Police Station.
The man was charged with two counts of each of possess unauthorised pistol and not keep firearm safely-pistol and possess ammunition without holding licence/permit/authority.
He was refused bail and appeared at Parramatta Local Court, where he was granted conditional bail to re-appear at a later date.
The woman was charged with possess ammunition without holding licence/permit/authority, hinder discovery evidence re: serious indictable offence, supply prohibited drug, and resist or hinder police officer in the execution of duty. She was granted bail to appear at Parramatta Local Court at a later date.
Following further inquiries, detectives arrested the 24-year-old man at Granville Police Station about 9am today (Monday 1 November 2021).
He was charged with an additional three offences, including possess loaded firearm public place, armed with intent commit indictable offence, and supply prohibited drug more than indictable and below commercial quantity.
Police will allege in court that the man threatened another man during an altercation on Sunday 24 October 2021 using the firearm which was recovered by police during the FPO search.
It’s further alleged that the cocaine, which was seized during the search and forensically examined, was deemed to have been in his possession.
He was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Local Court today (Monday 1 November 2021).
Anyone with information that may assist investigators is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
