FOUR men from Hay arrested last year and charged with firearm offences were mentioned in Griffith District Court on Monday.
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Frank Ruberto, Steve John Harris, Morgan Cox and Justin Robert Gee, were arrested as part of an eight-month police operation across three states after police raided three properties in Hay.
While none of the four applied for bail on Monday it was formally refused, with the four to appear for sentencing in Griffith District Court in the coming weeks.
The raids followed an investigation involving authorities from NSW, Queensland and South Australia where 67-year-old pilot John Charles White was arrested on the tarmac of Deniliquin airport on September 2, 2015.
Detectives from the Gangs Squad discovered 45 kilograms of cannabis and four kilograms of a precursor to the drug ice on board the plane. White, who is from Queensland but had flown from Adelaide, was charged with two counts of supplying large commercial quantities of drugs.
Detective Inspector Gavin Wood of the Gangs Squad said it was White's arrest that triggered the further raids not only in Hay but also in South Australia and Queensland.
Detective Inspector Wood said police would allege large commercial quantities of drugs and firearms were being trafficked across the NSW border by people affiliated with the Descendants and Hells Angels outlaw motorcycle clubs in South Australia.
The seizure of the ice-precursor was a “significant seizure in anyone's language” and would have translated to a “very large commercial quantity of ice once manufactured”, Detective Inspector Wood said. He believed the drugs were destined for the NSW market.
None of the defendants mentioned in court on Monday were strictly co-accused, but the court heard their offences were related. Judge Deborah Payne, appearing via video-link, listed them for separate days.
46-year-old Frank Ruberto was charged with possessing three unregistered firearms without a license or permit, supplying ammunition to a person not authorised, dealing with proceeds of crime, money or property more than $1000 and supplying a firearm to person unauthorised to possess it. He was listed for sentencing on June 9.
Steven John Harris was charged with supplying ammunition to a person not authorised, two counts of possessing an unregistered prohibited firearm, not keeping a prohibited firearm safely, unlawfully selling firearms three times or more within 12 months, unauthorised supply of firearm and not keeping a not prohibited firearm safely. The 39-year-old will appear for sentencing on June 7.
30-year-old Morgan Cox has been charged with two counts of supplying a firearm to a person unauthorised to possess it and unauthorised supply of firearm. His matter is listed for sentencing on June 7.
Justin Robert Gee was charged with three counts of supply firearm to person unauthorised to possess it. The 42-year-old will appear for sentencing on August 1.