Police have made a series of arrests across Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs, while taking 24 firearms and knives and other edged weapons off the streets during an intensive multi-day operation targeting youth gangs.
As part of Operation Alliance, an array of local and specialist police joined forces last week with the intention of disrupting some of the most violent youth offenders in the state, connected to weapons offences, burglaries, and car thefts.
Police from across Greater Dandenong, Casey and Cardinia were assisted by the Southern Metro Region Alliance Team, Southern Metro Crime Squad, VIPER Taskforce, the Canine Unit, Highway Patrol, the Drone Unit Australian Federal Police ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Anti-Gang Squad, and the Sherriff’s Office over five days of warrants and compliance checks for Firearm Prohibition Orders (FPOs).
Between Monday 17 and Friday 21 April, police:
• Arrested 28 people who were either a known member of a youth gang or an associate, or have been involved in serious and violent crime and subject to a FPO. Those arrested were charged for a range of offences, including prohibited person possess firearm, possess firearms, possess ammunition, possess prohibited or controlled weapons, aggravated burglary, and car theft.
• Remanded three offenders, including one known youth gang member and a 31-year-old Pakenham man who has since been sentenced to three months in prison for the possession of 1-4 Butanediol.
• Attended 72 addresses and conducted 42 searches.
• Served five FPOs including to known youth gang offenders and those affiliated with a youth gang.
• Engaged with 17 youth gang members, connected to seven gangs.
Items seized during the five-day operation include:
• Eight firearms including a longarm rifle, a sawn-off shotgun, and a revolver with live ammunition.
• Two imitation pistols.
• Over 230 rounds of ammunition.
• 16 edged weapons including two machetes, a homemade sword, a flick knife, and various knives.
• Two batons.
• A sling shot.
• Knuckles dusters.
The intense focus on weapons offences was also complemented by an Omni Operation at Fountain Gate Shopping Centre on 20 April. During the operation, 12 of the 16 edged weapons were seized and a further nine people were arrested.
Transit police, supported by the Mounted Branch, Canine Unit, and Public Order Response Team checked 257 persons and 73 vehicles as part of the operation.
Victoria Police continues to relentlessly pursue those connected to youth gangs as part of Operation Alliance.
In the twelve months to the end of March 2023, Operation Alliance has led to the arrest of 448 known youth gang members a combined 1,422 times.
Since Operation Alliance commenced in September 2020, the number of known Victorian youth gang members on Victoria Police’s watchlist has decreased from 747 to 625.
Quotes attributed to Greater Dandenong, Casey, and Cardinia Superintendent Jo Stafford:
“Police will continue to make life as difficult as possible for those who choose to align themselves with a gang with the intention of committing serious and violent crime.
“As part of Operation Alliance, we are regularly knocking on the doors of youth gang members for bail compliance checks, saturating locations where we know they frequent and are likely to offend and gathering further intelligence on their activities and their associates.
“Our message to anyone who commits violent crime and jeopardises the safety of the broader community is clear – we are not going away and if you were fortunate enough to escape a knock on the door last week, you won’t be so lucky next time.
“In addition to targeting serious and violent offenders, we will also continue to engage at risk youth with the appropriate support services in an effort to prevent offending from occurring in the first place.”
Notable incidents from last week’s operation include:
• On Monday 17 April, police including VIPER Taskforce officers attended a property on Johns Street, Pakenham at about 10.45am to conduct a Firearms Prohibition Order compliance check. Upon arriving at the residence, a 19-year-old man, a 28-year-old man, and a 51-year-old man, all from Pakenham, allegedly attempted to resist arrest and flee from police. Police then conducted a search of the property where they located three firearms including a shotgun, rifle, and handgun, an imitation firearm, a revolver frame, a rifle scope, and 232 round of ammunition. Two edged weapons including a home-made sword and a flick knife were also seized, as well as approximately $6,000 cash, a small amount of cannabis, and drug paraphernalia. The 19-year-old has been charged with possess imitation firearm, possess cannabis and, resist and hinder police. The 28-year-old, who was subject to an FPO, has been charged with possess prohibited weapon, possess firearm related items, possess cannabis, possess the proceeds of crime. The 51-year-old has been charged with possess category A longarm without a dealer’s license, non-prohibited person possess category A or B longarm that was not registered, non-prohibited person possess category A longarm without a license, possess prohibited weapon, possess cannabis, resist, and hinder police. All three man have been bailed to appear before the Dandenong Magistrates Court on 18 August. A 34-year-old female was also arrested in related to three outstanding warrants. She was later bailed to appear before the Latrobe Valley Magistrates Court on 28 June.
• On Thursday 20 April, an 18-year-old Doveton man was arrested after Transit police found him in possession of a machete at the Fountain Gate Shopping Centre. The man was taken to the Narre Warren Police Station for interview where he was charged with possess controlled weapon. He was later bailed to appear before the Kyneton Magistrates Court on 10 July.
• On Thursday 20 April, Dandenong Police attended a property on Terry Count, Springvale South to conduct a Firearms Prohibition Order compliance check. Police conducted a search and located a sawn-off shotgun and small amount of ammunition. A 27-year-old Springvale South man was arrested and charged with prohibited person possess firearm, possess ammunition without license, possess cannabis and contravene final intervention order. He has been bailed to appear before the Dandenong Magistrates Court on 25 August.
• On Friday 21 April, detectives from the Southern Metro Crime Squad and Southern Metro Alliance Team officers executed simultaneous search warrants in Hoyle Court, Cranbourne and Oates Court, Cranbourne North at about 8.00am following aggravated burglaries in Sandhurst and Beaumaris in the early hours of 19 April. An Audi was allegedly stolen from the Beaumaris property after the offender’s gained entry to the premises through an unlocked door. A 17-year-old Cranbourne North male was arrested and charged with aggravated burglary, attempted aggravated burglary, theft of motor vehicle and theft. He has been served with a Firearms Prohibition Order and remanded to appear before a children’s court at a later date. A 16-year-old Cranbourne North male was also arrested and charged with aggravated burglary, attempted aggravated burglary, theft of motor vehicle and failure to answer bail. He has been bailed to appear before a children’s court at a later date.
