Police seized 67 illegal firearms and nearly 1500 3D-printed gun parts across New Zealand in a week-long crackdown alongside Australian agencies that led to the arrest of 39 people.
During the operation, officers found what appeared to be a partly built pipe bomb in a Hastings home, and a stolen shotgun on the back seat of a car in Northland.
The operation, called Operation Athena, ran on both sides of the Tasman between October 19 and 25. More than 200 search warrants were carried out, with 31 of those being in New Zealand.
Detective Inspector Albie Alexander said the 39 arrested in New Zealand faced 159 charges between them.
He added that agencies had used real-time intelligence to target people of interest.
"The contribution from across the country, from all of our Police districts and partner agencies, has led to a successful week of disrupting criminals in possession of illegal firearms and provides a real time example of the benefits of utilising our intelligence-led approach to target those in possession of illegal firearms, parts or accessories."
Partly-built pipe bomb found in Hastings, man arrested
The Hastings find was in the suburb of Raureka on October 20. Officers searching a property found a Tikka 7mm rifle, ammunition, a box of potentially volatile chemicals, and a white-taped cylinder about 20cm long holding a chemical mixture.
Detective Senior Sergeant Kris Payne said the cylinder was reportedly the makings of a pipe bomb, which was "incredibly dangerous" and had the potential to cause "great harm".
"When chemicals are sealed within a container, the resulting build-up of heat, gas, and pressure can cause a violent explosion," he said.
“It’s fortunate we were able to locate and safely collect this material, which could have caused huge damage,” he said.
A 21-year-old man is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, explosives and ammunition. He is due back in the Hastings District Court on November 10.
Guns hidden in Northland bush
In Northland, police had been investigating a firearms burglary in Kerikeri. On October 23, they got word the suspect was travelling through Wellsford. Tactical officers moved in with the Eagle helicopter overhead, and a 30-year-old man was arrested without incident.
Detective Senior Sergeant Aaron Crawford said a shotgun allegedly stolen in the burglary was on the back seat of the car the man was in.
“This is a win for our community to have a stolen firearm out of circulation in the community,” he said.
The man has been remanded in custody to reappear in the Kaikohe District Court next month.
Near Kaeo, police dog Ripper found a semi-automatic rifle and a shotgun hidden in bush on a rural property. Police believe both guns were used in a firearms incident on September 22. Two men had already been charged over it.
Crawford urged locals to report anyone holding firearms illegally, including anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
“Let us know, and we’ll take care of it,” he said.
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