2LT Local News

CENTRAL WEST, NSW, Australia – A man has appeared in a Central West NSW court on Wednesday following the seizure of more than 700 firearms, a cannon, a rocket launcher, swords, knives, knuckledusters, and bullet-proof vests.

The man, Ray Burt, aged 69, was arrested on Tuesday as part of a Strike Force Raptor investigation into the supply of prohibited drugs and firearms across the state which has been underway since June 2018.

A breakthrough in the case came shortly after 9:00am on Tuesday when investigators arrived at The Marra and arrested the 69-year-old Burt, who was taken to Nyngan Police Station where he is being held without bail following his appearance at the Dubbo Local Court on Wednesday.

A short time after his arrest, Strike Force Raptor, assisted by officers attached to Western Region Operations Support Group and Firearms Registry, executed a search warrant at a former pub in Nyngan where Mr Burt was living.

During the search of the old pub’s basement, officers located the more than 700 guns, eleven of which were unregistered, the rocket launcher, cannon, swords, knives, knuckledusters, and bullet-proof vests.

Burt, a registered gun dealer, has been charged with 28 offences.

Criminal Groups Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Robert Critchlow, said Wednesday this arrest and significant seizure of firearms sends a strong message to those in the illegal gun trade.

“NSW Police support safe and legal firearm ownership, however, those responsible for illegally dealing guns for the purpose of criminal activity, will be investigated, arrested and put before the courts.”

“What we’ve identified clearly is there’s a large black market in firearms and other dangerous weapons within NSW and extending to other states,” Det., Supt., Critchlow said.

“NSW is a much safe placer as a result of this operation, many more people can sleep safely knowing these firearms are not in the wrong hands.”

Including this week’s arrest and seizure the Strike Force Raptor investigation, since it began in June 2018, has now resulted in thirty arrests and the seizure of the following items;

– More than 730 firearms (including military assault rifles, semi-automatic pistols, shotguns and rifles)
– Assorted prohibited weapons (including bullet-proof vests, a smoke bomb, batons, handcuffs and silencers)
– Thousands of rounds of assorted ammunition
– 14.3kgs of MDMA
– 56kgs of gamma-butyrolactone (GBL)
– 5.9kg of ephedrine
– 3.1kg of methylamphetamine (ice)
– 901g of heroin
– 425g of amphetamine
– 26 cannabis plants