NSW Police Force and the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service (ACBPS) arrested a women with hundreds of prohibited weapons. These include replica pistols, electronic shock devices and tear gas lipsticks.
Fairfield Local Area Command several weeks ago had arrested a man with weapons. This was following search warrants at St Andrews and Ingleburn. Police say the items are sold to customers at markets in Sydney. Involvement of any Sydney customs broker in this case is not immediately known.
In this search, 67 replica pistols, 325 electronic shock devices, 64 extendable batons, 162 laser pointers, 63 butterfly knives, 281 knuckle dusters, 38 sling shots and 10 boxes of human growth hormone were seized.
The investigation of the case was handed over to the NSW Police Firearms and Organised Crime Squad and the ACBPS for further investigation under Strike Force Kentmer. On the basis of this investigation ACBPS officers detected a major shipment of items at the NSW Container Examination Facility on Friday 6 December 2013.
The investigating team recovered more than 200 replica pistols and air soft pistols, 50 extendable batons, 60 sets of knuckle dusters, more than 70 electronic shock devices disguised as smart phones and flashlights, 200 tear gas lipsticks, an assortment of BB gun ammunition and a number of other items.
In this connection officers from the NSW Police and the ACBPS attended an address at St Andrews and arrested a 49-year-old woman. She was charged with importing tier two prohibited goods and was refused bail.
The 59-year-old man earlier arrested was charged with unauthorised possession of firearms in aggravated circumstances, supply firearm on ongoing basis, possess unauthorised firearms, possess prohibited weapon and supply of prohibited weapons.
According to Wayne Walpole, Commander of the Firearms and Organised Crime Squad, Detective Acting Superintendent this operation was the proactive work of local police that initiated this investigation, and the close working relationship between the police and Customs that enabled us to resolve this case so quickly.
