SYDNEY, March 30 (Xinhua) -- Police in the Australian state of Victoria have arrested nine people and seized over 1 million Australian dollars (about 0.7 million U.S. dollars) worth of drugs and firearms, after executing 12 search warrants across Melbourne.
The arrests came after extensive investigations into drug manufacturing in Melbourne, with search warrants conducted across several Melbourne suburbs, including Airport West, Essendon, Keilor Downs, South Melbourne and Sunshine, Victoria Police said on Thursday.
The warrants resulted in seven alleged stolen firearms, a commercial quantity of methylamphetamine, items used in the manufacturing of methylamphetamine, 141 cannabis plants and a large quantity of stolen and fraudulent identification cards.
To date, five people have been charged and three more are expected to be charged on summons.
Another person has been released pending further inquiries.
"The community can be assured that our work does not stop here. We will continue to work around the clock to gather intelligence, arrest offenders and put them before the courts," said Fawkner Divisional Response Unit Acting Detective Sergeant Brad Hobbs. ■