Police arrested a 41-year-old Cranbourne man in Highett during the crackdown on illegal firearms across Melbourne’s southeast.
During Operation Relentless, investigators conducted almost 50 Firearm Prohibition Order (FPO) checks across the Kingston and Glen Eira Bayside area between Monday 9 and Friday 13 October.
They arrested ten people and seized illegal firearms, ammunition, and drugs, including a handgun, a handmade firearm, machetes and edged weapons, quantities of amphetamine, cannabis, and a significant amount of ammunition, as well as stolen goods.
The Cranbourne man, one of the ten, was arrested for allegedly producing a firearm.
He sustained a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound, which was not life-threatening according to Victoria Police.
He has since been charged with family violence offences, and enquires continue into the firearms incidents.
A 20-year-old woman was charged on summons after police allegedly located two prohibited weapons, including a dagger, at a home in Clayton.
As a handgun was located at a unit in Aspendale, a 42-year-old man who was the subject of an FPO was arrested at the scene and charged with prohibited person possess firearm.
He was bailed to appear in Moorabbin Magistrate’s’ Court on 8 April 2024.
A handmade firearm, along with a significant amount of ammunition, was seized from a home of a resident who is subject to a FPO in Caulfield South, along with a significant amount of ammunition.
Several people who are subject to FPOs are expected to be charged with failing to inform police of a change of address.
The operation was carried out by the Caulfield Divisional Response Unit with the assistance from VIPER Taskforce, the Public Order Response Team and the Dog Squad.
Caulfield Divisional Response Unit detective senior sergeant David Quirk said the police had witnessed a number of devastating incidents involving firearms within our community, leading to death and serious injury in recent times.
“Operations such as these target those who have been prohibited from possessing a firearm, including organised crime figures, outlaw motorcycle gang members, and people with a history of violence,” he said.
“As its name suggests, police are relentless in their efforts to remove firearms, imitations, and ammunition from the wrong hands, and make the community safer for everyone.
“Anyone who breaches their firearms prohibition order can expect a visit from us, and to be held accountable for putting others in harm’s way.”
FPO compliance checks will continue to be conducted at random intervals, and further arrests are expected as part of Operation Relentless.
Anyone with information about illicit firearms is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
