FOUR more people have been charged in connection to a firearm and drug supply ring in Moree.
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Two men and two women were arrested in operations in Moree and Mungindi this week bringing the total number of arrests to 11, following raids in the Hunter and Moree area earlier this month.
The robbery and serious crime squad is heading up Strike Force Lockwood – a dedicated operation set up to investigate an alleged ring supplying guns and drugs throughout the Moree and Hunter areas.
A 19-year-old man was charged with supplying firearms after fronting Mungindi Police Station about noon on Tuesday, while just a few hours later a 25-year-old man was arrested at a Keperra Pl property just outside of Moree and charged with the same offence.
On Monday, a 21-year-old woman was apprehended at an Adelaide St home in the town about 11.20am and charged with two counts of supplying prohibited drugs.
A 29-year-old co-accused was also taken into custody and charged with supplying drugs less than an hour later.
Barwon crime manager Detective Inspector Gavin Rattenbury said local police had been assisting investigators who are leading the strike force.
“It’s been an ongoing investigation which has involved the Barwon local area command and robbery and serious crime squad,” he said.
“Even though Barwon is a remote location, if we need the assistance of the crime squads they can come up and assist us in targeting crime.”
Detective Inspector Rattenbury said the number of arrests was significant.
“Any operation involving firearms, whether it be people carrying, selling or anything like that is serious,” he said,
“And drug-related crime linked in together is serious and we use what resources we can to address those types of crime or issues.”
All four people have been released on conditional bail to appear in court at a later date.
Last week, Terry William Sampson and Kenneth Harold Sampson, both from Moree, were refused bail after police swooped in a series of raids in the Hunter.
Both will remain behind bars, along with co-accused Stuart Wydmuch, until next month.
On the same day, two Moree women, both aged 21, were charged with drug offences after local officers pounced on an Adelaide St home as part of the co-ordinated raids.
Police seized cash, cannabis, a crystalline substance, a motorbike and mobile phones from the home.
The investigation is continuing.
