Five people have been charged with 161 drug and firearm offences following an eight-month long investigation into drug supply in the Illawarra.
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All five have been refused bail to appear at Wollongong Local Court later today.
Search warrants executed at homes in Oak Flats and further afield at Bexley North and Pyrmont, where police located and seized a number of items, including methamphetamine, 97L of 1,4 Butanediol, and more than $35,000 cash.
During the course of the investigation, 15 firearms - including shotguns and pistols - were also seized by police.
Following extensive inquiries, strike force detectives - assisted by Raptor Squad officers - arrested three men and two women on Wednesday.
The Illawarra arrests
A man and a woman - both aged 24 - were arrested after police stopped their car on Central Avenue, Oak Flats, about 10.45am. During a search, methamphetamine, MDMA, ketamine, cocaine, and 1,4 butanediol were found. All items were seized for further forensic examination.
The man was charged with 19 counts of supply prohibited drugs, and participating in a criminal group contributing to criminal activity at Lake Illawarra Police Station.
The woman was charged with 15 counts of taking part in the supply of prohibited drugs, supplying a prohibited drug, and participating in a criminal group contributing to criminal activity.
About 30 minutes later, police arrested a 50-year-old man in a car park in Haywards Bay.
He was charged with 72 offences.
They included including 48 counts of supply prohibited drugs, two counts of taking part in the supply of prohibited drugs, eight counts of supplying a prohibited firearm to unauthorised person, four counts of supplying firearm to person unauthorised to possess it, three counts of supplying ammunition to person not authorised, possessing more than three unregistered firearms (one which is a prohibited), selling a prohibited weapon to a person without permit, knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime, unlawfully selling firearms three times or more within 12 months, being an owner/occupier knowingly allowing its use as drug premises, knowingly directing activities of a criminal group and participating in a criminal group contributing to criminal activity.
Then at noon on Wednesday, a 30-year-old woman was arrested at an Oak Flats home.
She was taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station and charged with six counts of supplying a prohibited firearm to an unauthorised person, two counts of supplying ammunition to a person not authorised, possessing more than three unregistered firearms (one which is prohibited), three counts of supplying a firearm to a person unauthorised to possess it, selling a prohibited weapon to person without a permit, and participating in a criminal group contributing to criminal activity.
The Sydney arrest
About 11.35am on Wednesday, a 31-year-old man was arrested at a Bexley North home.
At Kogarah Police Station he was charged with 38 offences, including 31 counts of supplying prohibited drugs, two counts of knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime, supplying a pistol to person unauthorised to possess it, supplying ammunition to a person not authorised, two counts of supplying a prohibited firearm to unauthorised person, and participating in a criminal group contributing to criminal activity.
Investigations under Strike Force Yirak are continuing, with further arrests expected.
In November 2022, officers from Lake Illawarra Police District established Strike Force Yirak to investigate the large-scale supply of drugs and firearms south of Sydney.
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