10 properties raided as police bring down Australian gun smuggling operation

Source: Xinhua| 2018-08-17 10:53:20|Editor: xuxin
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SYDNEY, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Police in the Australian State of Queensland have dismantled an interstate drug and gun smuggling ring after an intense 18-month-long investigation.

Making the announcement on Thursday evening, investigators executed search warrants across 10 rural properties in the Toowoomba region, 125 km west of Brisbane.

In total, eight people were charged with 43 offences which included the possession of illicit drugs, firearms and even explosives.

Officers alleged the group are part of a major organized crime operation that trafficked narcotics and stolen guns across Queensland and other states.

According to Detective Sergeant Isa Tolete from the St. George Criminal Investigations Bureau, the operation's success over the past year and a half relied heavy on information provided by local residents.

"We would like to thank the locals for playing an integral role in disabling this network and preventing the further distribution of firearms and dangerous drugs within the community," she said.

While there were no major injuries reported during Thursday's arrests, police said one of the suspects, a 32-year-old man, resisted arrest and "needed to be forcefully removed from the vehicle" after being intercepted in a traffic stop.

When police later searched his car, they found two loaded handguns and approximately 400 grams of the drug methamphetamine, locally referred to as ICE.

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