Two men will appear in court today on drug and firearms charges after the Raptor Squad seized a pistol and drugs with an estimated potential street value of more than $1 million in Sydney’s south-west yesterday.
As part of ongoing targeting and disruption of the illicit activities of criminal networks, officers from the State Crime Command’s Raptor Squad stopped a Toyota HiAce van on Eldridge Street, Bankstown, about 4.10pm yesterday (Wednesday 29 December 2021).
Police spoke with the male occupants – aged 23 and 37 – before they were searched, with officers locating and seizing MDMA.
During a subsequent search of the vehicle, police seized methylamphetamine (ice), MDMA and cash.
The men were arrested and taken to Bankstown Police Station.
Following further inquiries, a search warrant was executed at a home unit on Canterbury Road, Punchbowl, where Raptor Squad officers seized methylamphetamine, MDMA and a 9mm pistol with a detached silencer and ammunition.
In total, police seized 1.2kg of methylamphetamine and 1.08kg of MDMA, which has a combined estimated potential street value of more than $1.1 million.
The 23-year-old Chester Hill man was charged with four counts of large commercial drug supply, commercial drug supply, possess unauthorised prohibited firearm, possess unregistered firearm-pistol, possess ammunition without holding licence/permit/authority, and acquire prohibited firearm-subject prohibition order.
The 37-year-old Sefton man was charged with five counts of prohibited drug supply, deal with property proceeds of crime, possess unauthorised prohibited firearm, possess unregistered firearm-pistol, and possess ammunition without holding licence/permit/authority.
Both men have been refused bail to appear at Parramatta Bail Court today (Thursday 30 December 2021).
Anyone with information about organised criminal activity 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.
