- Published:
- Thursday 14 May 2026 at 12:29 am
Police have charged two men and seized 11 firearms and a large quantity of drugs as part of an ongoing investigation into an alleged syndicate linked to trafficking and the manufacturing of drugs and firearms.
With assistance form the Special Operations Group, Bomb Response Unit, Clandestine Laboratory Squad, the Western Region Crime Squad, Viper Taskforce and Mill Park Divisional Response Unit, detectives from the North West Metro Regional Crime Squad yesterday executed search warrants in the Lara, Gisborne and Thomastown areas.
As a result, police seized the following items:
- 11 firearms, including homemade firearms, imitation firearms and gel blasters
- Firearm parts and ammunition
- Drugs of dependence.
A 54-year-old Lara man, a 38-year-old Gisborne man, a 19-year-old Thomastown man and a 32-year-old Lara man were arrested.
The 54-year-old man has since been charged with:
- Prohibited person possess a firearm
- Possess traffickable number of firearms
- Possess cocaine
- Possess cannabis
- Fail to comply with direction to assist with access to data under warrant.
He will appear before Geelong Magistrates Court 14 May.
The 38-year-old man has since been charged with:
- Possess cocaine
- Possess drug of dependence
- Possess prohibited weapon
- Possess a general category handgun.
He has been bailed to appear at court at a later date.
The 19-year-old man and the 32-year-old man are expected to be charged on summons with firearm related offences.
Katherine McLeod
Media Unit
148128
Updated