Investigators from Victoria's Missing Persons Unit are trying to uncover new information about the disappearance of Lakes Entrance man Dalibor 'Dale' Pantic.
Mr Pantic has been missing since April last year, when he was last seen in Perry Bridge east of Sale.
On Monday, the unit used drones, motorbikes, and horses to search the Bunyip State Park in West Gippsland.
Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper said investigators would be focused on East Gippsland this week.
"The difficult thing with some of the people we deal with in these matters, it's the proverbial pulling teeth unfortunately, it's going back and talking to people again and again and again until we get something close to the truth," he said.
Detective Inspector Stamper said investigators feared Mr Pantic had been murdered.
"He was a player in what is, relatively speaking, a fairly small drug community in East Gippsland, but he was clearly actively involved in sourcing and distribution of illegal drugs," Detective Inspector Stamper said.
"I'm sad to say that we're not expecting at all to find him alive, we clearly think Dale has been murdered — we want to find where he is so we can provide answers to his family."
Car yet to be recovered
Detective Inspector Stamper said Bunyip State Park and state forest was a huge area to search.
"So really it's a needle in the haystack," he said.
Police released CCTV footage of someone else driving Mr Pantic's car in Sale at 11:00pm on April 12 — two days after he was last seen.
The car is a 2005 silver Ford Falcon sedan with registration 1NK 8BP and is yet to be recovered.
The car was also seen in Melbourne in the days following Mr Pantic's last sighting in Perry Bridge.
Mr Pantic has not made contact with his family, including his children, since his disappearance.
Police say he is 178 centimetres tall, with a solid build, brown hair and brown eyes.
Anyone with information should contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.
