A man wanted for drug and firearms offences has been arrested by the Strike Force Raptor Fugitive Team.
In August 2019, detectives from Liverpool City Police Area Command executed a search warrant at a home at Casula, as part of ongoing investigations into organised criminal activities in the local area.
During the search, police seized steroids, fireworks, a 9mm pistol, ammunition, electronic devices, methylamphetamine (ice), methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), Alprazolam, cannabis, knuckle dusters and cash.
Shortly after, detectives applied for and were granted an arrest warrant for a 42-year-old man.
Despite extensive inquiries and numerous searches, the man was not located.
Just after 11am yesterday (Friday 15 November), officers from the Strike Force Raptor’s Fugitive Team located the man driving a Toyota Camry along St Johns Road, Heckenberg.
Police attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the driver did not stop and a police pursuit was initiated.
After the officers lost sight of the vehicle, assistance was obtained from local police, the Dog Unit and the Public Order and Riot Squad to search the local area.
The Camry was located empty a short time later in a driveway on Dartford Street, Mt Pritchard.
A General Purpose Dog tracked the man’s scent from the car into the rear yard, where the man was located and arrested.
During a subsequent search of the man and his vehicle, police seized almost $200,000 cash, methylamphetamine (ice), a vial of white liquid, a folding knife, and a mobile phone.
The man was taken to Liverpool Police Station and charged with police pursuit – not stop – drive recklessly, drive disqualified, enter inclosed lands, possess prohibited drug (x2), resist police, custody of knife, deal with proceeds of crime and good in personal custody.
Liverpool City detectives also charged the man with the outstanding warrants for possess unregistered firearm, not keep firearm safely, possess ammunition, possess prohibited weapon, supply prohibited drug (x2), deal with property proceeds of crime, acquire pistol subject to firearms prohibition order and acquire ammunition subject to prohibition order.
He was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Bail Court today (Saturday 16 November 2019).
Strike Force Raptor was established in 2009 and conducts proactive investigations and intelligence-based, high-impact policing operations to prevent and disrupt conflicts, and dismantle any network engaged in serious organised criminal activity.
Anyone with information, including relevant photos and videos, that may assist Strike Force Raptor can report it directly to investigators via the Strike Force Raptor online reporting page: https://www1.police.nsw.gov.au/Default.aspx?id=49 or call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Information provided to investigators will be treated in the strictest of confidence.
