A MAN has been arrested and charged after police seized a sawn-off rifle, cannabis and ammunition during a three-day operation targeting alleged rural theft and firearm offences in the Hunter Region.
During the operation - which ran from Friday to Sunday - police conducted 15 safe storage inspections and two firearm prohibition order searches.
About 5.30pm on Friday investigators stopped a vehicle on Bylong Valley Way at Baerami and spoke with the driver, a 40-year-old man.
The vehicle was searched and police seized a .22 sawn-off rifle, cannabis, and ammunition to undergo forensic examination.
He was taken to Muswellbrook police station and charged with acquire firearm - subject to prohibition order; possess shortened firearm, possess unregistered firearm, possess ammunition and possess prohibited drug.
Police will allege in court the man is subject to a Firearms Prohibition Order.
The Baerami man was refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court on Saturday where he was granted conditional bail to reappear at Muswellbrook Local Court on Tuesday.
The seizure was part of a rural crime investigation operation including officers from Hunter Valley, Orana/Mid-Western, Manning/Great Lakes, Richmond and Chifley police districts. They established Operation Fleece to target the movement of stock, illegal hunting, and the safe storage of firearms within vehicles and premises within the Merriwa and Cassilis area.
Officers issued 30 traffic infringement notices and two companion animal infringement notices during the operation, including to the driver of a conducted livestock checks and issued infringement notices to the people transporting sheep, cattle and pigs allegedly non-compliant with biosecurity legislation.
State Rural Crime Coordinator, Detective Chief Inspector Cameron Whiteside, said while there were positive interactions with landholders and detections, the lack of compliance in transportation of stock and traceability was disappointing.
"The lack of identifiers on stock, coupled with a blatant disregard to transportation documentation and the National Livestock Identification System plays into the hands of criminals that steal stock," Det Ch/Insp Whiteside said.
"This - coupled with the potential for Emergency Animal Disease - is a source of genuine concern.
"Rural crime operations will continue to be run throughout the Hunter Valley Police District to address rural crime issues and enhance relations with rural stakeholders."
Investigations under Operation Fleece are continuing.
