Australian Border Force (ABF) has seized weapons, drugs and native wildlife from a home north of Perth, Western Australia, during a multi-agency operation targeting illicit firearms.
Last Wednesday (10 January 2024), ABF and Western Australia Police Force (WAPF) officers executed a search warrant at a Yanchep property and confiscated the following items:
- 16 unlicensed firearms, including a loaded sawn-off shotgun;
- Two electric shock devices;
- A quantity of illicit drugs, including methamphetamine and cannabis; and
- Unlicensed native wildlife, including a carpet python snake and 34 geckos.
Officers also found evidence of the sale of firearms, drugs and native wildlife, and of importing prohibited weapons, including flick knives and a pistol grip slingshot.
Officers from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions attended to appropriately remove the native wildlife.
Western Australia Police charged a 27-year-old Yanchep man with various weapons and drugs charges. He has been remanded in custody and will next appear at Joondalup Magistrates Court tomorrow (Wednesday 17 January 2024).
ABF Superintendent Kirsty Baldassar said the arrest highlighted a shared commitment between Federal and State partners to combat the trade and use of illegal firearms.
"Illicit firearms are a threat to community safety in Australia, often ending up in the hands of people with criminal intent and untraceable by law enforcement," Superintendent Baldassar said.
"The ABF has ramped up its border intelligence capability in recent years and works closely with agencies in Australia and overseas to build a global web of information about those buying and selling illicit firearms and firearm parts.
"The message is simple, comply with our firearms legislation or face the consequences."
The investigation and subsequent search warrant was part of Operation ATHENA, which targets the trafficking and use of illicit firearms throughout Australia.
The operation involves all policing jurisdictions as well as a number of federal agencies including Australian Federal Police, Australian Border Force, Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, AUSTRAC, Australian Taxation Office, Department of Home Affairs and the Australian Defence Force.
A brief clip of the arrest is available here.
