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Nine charged with firearm, drug and property offences targeted under Operation Suppress

Thursday, 05 June 2025 01:24:29 PM

Chifley Police District have charged nine people and have seized nine firearms and weapons in a strategic, targeted campaign aimed at firearm, prohibited drugs and property-related offences.


Between 8am on Tuesday 3 June 2025 and 4pm yesterday (Wednesday 4 June 2025), officers attached to Chifley Police District commenced Operation Suppress to proactively target dangerous offenders across the Bathurst and surrounding areas.

Operation Suppress officers were assisted by officers attached to Chifley Police District, Central West Police District, Youth Command, the Rural Crime Prevention Team, Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit, Dog Unit, Western Region Operations Support Group, Operation Soteria, and Blue Mountains Police Area Command.

Officers conducted inspections on five tattoo parlours, eight stock checks, two wool dealers, 44 safe storage, and 10 licenced premises. Additionally, police conducted seven firearm prohibition order (FPO), 23 knife wanding, nine vehicle, and 37 person searches.

Police executed 12 search warrants, as well as conducting 13 bail compliance checks, 45 apprehended domestic violence order compliance checks, with six apprehended domestic violence orders served. Officers also conducted 15 random breath tests conducted with seven traffic infringement notices issued.

During the operation, police located and seized four firearms, two firearm parts, ammunition, three prohibited weapons, methylamphetamine, psilocybin mushrooms, unauthorised prescription medication, cannabis, a stolen motorcycle, 2702 illegal vapes, 1.3kg tobacco and 269,493 cigarettes.

Police also charged nine people with offences ranging from weapons, firearms, drugs, and traffic-related offences.

Incidents of note included,

  • About 1.15pm on Tuesday 3 June 2025, police attended a home on Greville Street, Kelso, and conducted a Firearm Prohibition Order (FPO) search, with no items found. Police conducted a prior FPO search at the home in May and due to forensic testing on drugs, weapons and a firearm seized at the time, a 30-year-old man was arrested and taken to Bathurst Police Station. He was charged with possess/attempt to, prescribed restricted substance, possess ammunition without holding licence/permit/authority, hinder or resist police officer in the execution of duty, possess unauthorised pistol, supply prohibited drug, and possess or use a prohibited weapon without permit. The man appeared at Bathurst Local Court on Tuesday 3 June 2025, where he was formally refused bail to appear at the same court on Wednesday 18 June 2025.

  • About 1.45pm yesterday (Tuesday 3 June 2025), police attended a home on Morrisset Street, Bathurst, and conducted a FPO search. Officers searched a vehicle at the home and allegedly located hunting knives, ammunition and firearm parts. A 42-year-old man was arrested and taken to Bathurst Police Station. He was charged with custody of knife in public place, possess ammunition without holding licence/permit/authority, and possess or use a prohibited weapon without permit. The man was refused bail and appeared at Bathurst Local Court yesterday (Wednesday 4 June 2025), where he was formally refused bail to reappear at the same court on Wednesday 18 June 2025.

  • Officers attended a home on View Street, Kelso, and executed a search warrant about 10.30am yesterday (Wednesday 4 June 2025). Police located and seized cash and cannabis. A 51-year-old woman was arrested and taken to Bathurst Police Station. She was charged with possess prohibited drug, and supply prohibited drug. The woman was given conditional bail to appear at Bathurst Local Court on Wednesday 30 July 2025.

  • About 3.45pm yesterday (Wednesday 4 June 2025), officers attended a home on Henderson Street, Bathurst, and arrested a 46-year-old man. Police executed a search warrant in March this year where a firearm, firearm parts, ammunition and personal identification documents were seized and forensically tested. The man was taken to Bathurst Police Station where he was charged with possess shortened firearm (not pistol) without authority, goods suspected stolen in/on premises, possess a barrel for a firearm unless authorised by licence, and possess ammunition without holding licence/permit/authority. The man was refused bail to appear at Bathurst Local Court today (Thursday 5 June 2025).

Operation Suppress will continue into the future.