A MAN has been arrested in Lightning Ridge for a variety of illegal firearms offences after police found him in possession of multiple homemade firearms and equipment used to manufacture firearms last week.

The arrest was made as part of a statewide NSW Police operation between Tuesday 14 June and Saturday 18 June aiming to prevent violent incidents and weapon possession amongst young people.

Operation Foil II involved a two-stage approach, including highly visible police patrols in high-risk locations and Youth Command Officers visiting high schools to warn them about the risks of carrying weapons.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said Operation Foil II followed an increase in the number of young people becoming both perpetrators and victims of knife-related offences in in the past five years.

“Our intelligence shows that some young people are increasingly carrying sharp instruments for self-defence, but they don’t fully understand the potentially fatal consequences that this can have,” Commissioner Webb said.

“When someone has a dangerous weapon in their possession, there is a much greater likelihood of a small-scale incident escalating into a fatal one."

During the operation, police also conducted more than 1200 bail compliance checks. By its conclusion, officers had charged 232 people with a total of 546 charges and issued 400 Traffic Infringement Notices.

Across the state, they also seized a total of 112 knives, 21 firearms, 26 prohibited weapons, a range of prohibited and prescription substances, along with cash and other items alleged to be proceeds of crime.

Notable seizures included shortened firearms, gunpowder, hand grenades, 30-calibre machine guns and self-loading rifles, among other items, all founds in a shipping container on a private residence in Reddestone, north of Glen Innes. A 45-year-old man was arrested and charged with multiple firearms and weapons offences as a result.

A notable arrest was also made in the Western Plains when police conducting patrols in Lightning Ridge on Friday 17 June stopped and spoke to a 25-year-old man in Rotary Park.

After subsequent checks revealed the man was wanted on an arrest warrant, he was arrested and his vehicle was searched.

During the search, police seized two homemade pistols, two replica pistols, homemade ammunition, equipment used in the manufacture of firearms – including a 3D-printer – and other electronic devices.

ABOVE: Among the items seized in Lightning Ridge was two homemade pistols, along with manufacturing equipment. Image: NSW Police.

The man was then charged with firearms offences and was refused bail before appearing at Dubbo Local Court on Saturday 18 June.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Police Paul Toole said police had a zero-tolerance approach to knife-related crime.

“Carrying a knife, and even worse, using it to harm someone else will see you arrested, put before the courts, and potentially locked up for a very long time,” Mr Toole said.

“Knife crime can forever change lives in an instant, and police will continue to proactively target and arrest anyone who poses a threat to the safety of the community.

“Operation Foil, along with other similar operations, will continue to be conducted across New South Wales to prevent and disrupt criminal behaviour, and to protect our community,” he said.