Six individuals, including two teenagers, have been charged following a police operation in Sydney’s west where Raptor Squad officers stopped a vehicle allegedly carrying loaded guns on Monday.
The arrests are part of a continuing probe into a public-place shooting in Tallawong last November, as authorities target a group believed to be responsible for several violent crimes.
Detective Acting Superintendent Brad Abdy, head of the Raptor Squad, explained that the operation falls under Strike Force Calvin, set up in November to investigate the Laura Street shooting in Tallawong.
“The 19-year-old charged earlier on December 9 and the man charged yesterday were the individuals who fired at the property,” Superintendent Abdy said.
“They forced entry by smashing the door with a sledgehammer, deployed a flashbang grenade inside, and then fired additional shots from the front lawn. Their escape vehicle was abandoned nearby after they fled on foot, leaving behind two more firearms and a hand grenade.”
The investigation led police to intercept a taxi on Old Windsor Road in Old Toongabbie around 9:40 am Monday. A 20-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy were detained after attempting to flee.
“We believe they were travelling to carry out another serious firearm-related offence,” Superintendent Abdy added. “The taxi driver was no doubt relieved to see them removed.”
Officers recovered two loaded firearms, cloned licence plates, and a dedicated encrypted criminal communication device (DECCD). The 20-year-old received treatment for minor injuries at Westmead Hospital before being taken into custody. Both were refused bail at Parramatta Police Station.
Later that morning, a 25-year-old man was arrested on Mountford Avenue in Guildford and charged with involvement in a criminal group. Two mobile phones were seized, one suspected to be a DECCD.
Around 11:30 am, strike force officers discovered four allegedly stolen vehicles at a Rouse Hill property. It is alleged the group had arrived by taxi at what is believed to be an Airbnb rental, where vehicles fitted with cloned plates were located.
When police arrived at the Maneroo Street address, 18-year-old Leonaitasi Havili was seen briefly exiting and re-entering the premises. He, along with a 23-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy, attempted to escape but were apprehended after a brief chase.
During Tuesday’s bail hearing, a magistrate described the matter as “very serious” and refused bail for Mr Havili, citing strong evidence linking him to a property containing multiple firearms. His case was adjourned to February 20.
A search of the Rouse Hill home uncovered five firearms, thousands of rounds of high-calibre ammunition, several sets of fake number plates, two ballistic vests marked with Queensland Police Service insignia, a bolt-action pistol with silencer, pistol conversion kits, magazines, cartridges, and cloned registration documents. The four vehicles were seized for further examination.
An additional search at a Guildford property on Talbot Street yielded more DECCDs, ammunition, and clothing.
Superintendent Abdy noted that the seized weapons included semi-automatic pistols and revolvers commonly associated with organised crime killings.
All six suspects face numerous charges related to firearms and participation in a criminal group, with the 23-year-old from Rouse Hill also charged in connection with the Tallawong incident.
“This operation significantly disrupts the group and helps dismantle the syndicate,” Superintendent Abdy said, expressing concern over the recruitment of young people into serious crime.
He clarified that the group is not formally tied to any established criminal organisation but appears to function as a hired team conducting attacks for others.
Investigations by Strike Force Calvin continue.
