A 60-year-old man is set to appear before Maroochydore Magistrates Court today (January 29, 2025) after being charged with multiple drug and weapon offenses.
Significant Seizure in Taskforce Venator Operation
The charges follow a joint Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Queensland Police Service (QPS) operation that resulted in a significant seizure at a backpacker hostel in Maroochydore last month (December 2024).
Detectives from Taskforce Venator executed a search warrant on December 23, 2024, as part of an ongoing investigation into outlaw motorcycle gangs (OMCGs). Officers discovered a cache of illicit weapons, drugs, and cash, including a semi-automatic rifle, a revolver, ammunition, body armor, knuckledusters, a replica handgun, a gel blaster, 250 grams of cocaine, 400 grams of cannabis, 50 LSD tablets, and $20,000 in cash.
Charges and Legal Consequences
The man was charged with several serious offenses under Queensland’s Drugs Misuse Act, Weapons Act, and Criminal Proceeds Confiscation Act. The charges include:
- Possessing dangerous drugs (cocaine and LSD), carrying a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.
- Possessing cannabis, with a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
- Possessing property for use in criminal activity, carrying a maximum penalty of two years.
- Possessing unlawfully acquired property linked to drug offenses, with a maximum penalty of two years.
- Unlawfully possessing a category D semi-automatic rifle, punishable by up to seven years in prison.
- Possessing restricted items, including body armor, a knuckleduster, a gel blaster, and a replica handgun, with various penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment.
- Possessing ammunition unlawfully, carrying a maximum sentence of six months.
The man was granted bail and given a notice to appear in court today.
Authorities Emphasize Community Safety
AFP Inspector Chris Crawford highlighted the risks associated with illegal weapons in criminal circles. “Weapons are used by criminals and OMCGs to intimidate and harm rival gang members, law enforcement, and sometimes innocent members of the public,” he said. “This is why the AFP and QPS are committed to removing illicit weapons and substances from the community.”
Queensland Police Service Organised Crime Gangs Group Detective Acting Superintendent Craig Bowman echoed these concerns, stressing the danger posed by criminal networks. “The weapons and drugs seized in this operation could have caused immense harm in the community,” he said. “The QPS and AFP will continue working together to enhance public safety and dismantle OMCG criminal activities.”
Taskforce Venator, a joint initiative between the AFP and QPS, continues its mission to disrupt serious organized crime in Queensland, ensuring that individuals involved in such operations face the full extent of the law.
