About 9.30am on Tuesday 17 January 2023, police simultaneously executed two search warrants at properties at Stockyard Creek and Woodenbong.
At a property on Lindsay Street, Woodenbong, police from Richmond Police District and Northern Rivers Region Enforcement Squad (RES) located and seized a firearm, ammunition and 442 grams of cannabis leaf.
At a property on Stockyard Creek Road, Stockyard Creek, police from Coffs/Clarence Police District, Coffs Harbour RES, State Crime Command Raptor Squad and Dog Unit located and seized five firearms, 37 grams of cannabis, and 14 cannabis plants.
The Woodenbong and Stockyard Creek property owners, a 61-year-old man and 59-year-old woman respectively, were arrested at Stockyard Creek and taken to Grafton Police Station.
The 61-year-old man was charged with three counts of possess unauthorised firearm, possess ammunition without license, two counts of possess prohibited drug, and cultivate prohibited plant.
The 59-year-old woman was charged with two counts of possess unauthorised firearm, cultivate prohibited plant, and possess prohibited drug.
Both were refused bail to appear at Grafton Local Court on Wednesday 18 January 2023.
After executing the search warrant at the Stockyard Creek property, investigators commenced inquiries at an adjacent property where they saw cannabis plants growing.
A crime scene was declared at the property, which was subsequently searched by police.
The search revealed four firearms, ammunition, 223 cannabis plants, 350 grams of cannabis leaf, a small cannon, and a range of allegedly stolen vehicles and other items, including a caravan and tractor.
A 49-year-old man was arrested at the property and taken to Grafton Police Station where he was charged with 19 offences including possess >3 unregistered firearms, four counts of not keep firearm safely, possess ammunition without holding license, supply prohibited drug, cultivate cannabis, three counts of goods suspected stolen in/on premises (m/v), and receive property-theft (serious indictable offence > $5000).
He was refused bail to appear at Grafton Local Court on Wednesday 18 January 2023.
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