A two-day operation to disrupt serious and organised crime across Sydney’s south west has concluded.
In June 2024, investigators attached to the South West Metropolitan Region initiated Operation Fort, a high-visibility and criminal investigation operation intended to supress on-going violent crime such as arson, home invasions and shootings believed to be organised by criminal networks.
Over two days, police executed 20 Firearms Prohibition Order (FPO) searches in multiple suburbs including Fairfield, Cabramatta, Burwood, Chipping Norton, Greenacre and Merrylands.
Police seized drugs, cash and firearms, and five men and a woman were arrested during the operation.
On Tuesday 25 June 2024, 11 FPOs were executed, with the following incidents of note:
- About 6.45am, police served a firearms prohibition order and weapons prohibition order on a 24-year-old man in Fairfield West before his home was searched. Police allegedly located testosterone, growth hormone and cannabis which were seized for forensic examination, and cash was also seized. Inquiries are ongoing.
- About 7.10am, officers executed an FPO search at a home on Bligh Street, Fairfield East; after prohibited drugs were allegedly located, a further search warrant was executed where more prohibited drugs, cash and phones were seized. A 36-year-old man was taken to Fairfield Police Station where he was charged with two counts of take part supply prohibited drug > Indictable and
- About 7.40am, officers executed an FPO search at a home on Chelsea Street, Merrylands, where police allegedly seized an airsoft pistol and $31,700 cash. A 31-year-old man was taken to Granville Police Station and charged with possess unauthorised pistol, acquire etc pistol-subject to firearms prohibition order, and acquire ammunition subject to prohibition order. He was refused bail to appear before Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday 26 June 2024, and will appear at the same court again on Wednesday 10 July 2024.
On Wednesday 26 June 2024, a further 12 FPOs were executed.
- About 6.20am, officers executed an FPO search at a home on Earl Street, Canley Heights, where police seized a substance believed to be steroids, and a sum of cash. Inquiries are ongoing.
- About 7.05am, officers executed an FPO search at a home on Anderson Avenue, Mount Pritchard, where a 40-year-old man was arrested and taken to Fairfield Police Station and charged with affray. He was refused bail to appear before Parramatta Bail Court yesterday (Thursday 27 June 2024) and will appear again in Fairfield Local Court on Tuesday 2 July 2024.
- About 9.25am, officers executed an FPO on Sackville Street, Canley Vale. When police allegedly located prohibited drugs, a crime scene was declared and police seized substances suspected to be methylamphetamine and GHB, which will be forensically examined. Inquiries are ongoing.
- About 1.55pm, police arrested a 38-year-old man on Church Street, Parramatta, by virtue of an outstanding warrant. He was taken to Parramatta Police Station where a warrant was executed in relation to domestic violence offences. He was refused bail to appear before Parramatta Local Court yesterday (Thursday 27 June 2024).
- About 4.10pm, an FPO search was executed at a home on McBurney Road, Cabramatta, where police found a substance suspected to be prohibited drugs and applied for a search warrant. Police seized the substance and an amount of cannabis which will be forensically examined. A 29-year-old man and 25-year-old woman were taken to Fairfield Police Station, where they were both charged with five offences in relation to supply and possess prohibited drugs, and refused bail to appear at Parramatta Local Court yesterday (Thursday 27 June 2024). They are due to appear at Fairfield Local Court on Tuesday 2 July 2024.
Further charges are expected to be laid as inquiries continue under Operation Fort.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.
