Middle Eastern Crime Squad detectives have seized a high-powered assault rifle capable of firing grenades following the arrest of a man involved in their investigations into weapons found during searches of Pendle Hill and Wentworthville smash repairers.
Officers also seized drug and cash after arresting the 39-year-old Fairfield man about 5.10am today, Tuesday, July 10 prior to boarding a flight leaving for Lebanon.
The arrest relates to the seizure of a .22 calibre machine pistol with a silencer, a 9mm, semi-automatic pistol and a number of rounds of ammunition from a vehicle during a raid on mechanics workshops in Pendle Hill and Wentworthville last month.
The man was taken to Botany Bay Police Station, with MEOCS detectives also executing a search warrant at a home in Fairfield where a small amount of amphetamine and $20,000 cash was seized.
As a result of further investigations, police also seized a Colt AR-15, which is a high-powered semi-automatic assault rifle capable of firing grenades, as well as a quantity of ammunition.
The man has now been charged with firearms offences to face Waverley Local Court today.
Meanwhile, police are continuing to work to determine if the custom-made machine pistol seized during the compliance operation is linked to similar weapons seized during Strike Force Centre.
That strike force, also led by the Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad, was investigating the manufacture and modification of illegal firearms for supply to an organised-crime group.
Thirteen people were arrested by Strike Force Centre detectives with police also seizing 10 firearms, more than 2kg of prohibited drugs, 20kg of precursors used in the manufacture of prohibited drugs and cash.