Three men from Echuca have been arrested and charged following a joint operation between Victoria Police’s VIPER taskforce and NSW Police Force’s Raptor Squad, in an operation called Blue Ember.
Operation Blue Ember targeted outlaw motorcycle gangs and organised criminal syndicates.
On Monday, March 20, a 42-year-old man, already the subject of a firearms prohibition order, was arrested and charged with possessing a small quantity of what police say appears to be methylamphetamine.
He was bailed to appear at Echuca Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, May 9.
Also on Monday, March 20, officers executed a search warrant at an address in Echuca, where they arrested a 31-year-old man and seized a home-made shotgun, ammunition, and an imitation handgun.
On Tuesday, March 21, a 23-year-old man was arrested and charged, after Victoria Police seized two imitation handguns, one imitation long arm gun, cannabis, shotgun shells and prescription medication.
He was charged with various weapons and drug offences.
During the multi-agency operation, eight people were arrested, with 45 charges laid across both north-eastern Victoria and southern NSW.
Officers conducted a total of 22 searches, including 12 firearm prohibition order compliance searches, and seized a firearm, five imitation firearms, eight prohibited weapons, as well as ammunition, explosives and drugs.
Operation Blue Ember was held in partnership with the Sheriff’s Office, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission and NSW Crime Commission.
The operation commenced at 6am on Monday, March 20 and concluded at noon on Friday, March 24.