“There is no legitimate, lawful or even reasonable purpose for possessing firearms like these – they are purely made, modified and possessed for criminal purposes.”
Information from the people of Perth to Crime Stoppers has helped detectives halt the distribution of illegal firearms in 2017.
Items seized during the operation included 14 firearms, two replica firearms, more than 200 rounds of ammunition and various weapons including electric shock devices, swords, extendable batons, pepper spray and myriad home-made weapons. 20 people were charged with 81 offences.
Various quantities of methamphetamine, cannabis, heroin, three stolen cars, suspected stolen property were seized. A million dollar property was also seized by police during the operation and a 45-year-old man was charged in relation to this seizure.
Many of the firearms seized had been converted from blank firing firearms and replicas to fully operational firearms capable of firing projectiles.
“In many cases these modifications have made the firearms very unsafe, for example by exposing the trigger and creating a significant risk to anyone who handles them,” Detective Senior Sergeant Darren Hart of the Regional Investigations Unit said.
“There is no legitimate, lawful or even reasonable purpose for possessing firearms like these – they are purely made, modified and possessed for criminal purposes.”
This is just another example of how information from the public is helping to make a safer WA.
