Tasmania Police officers have raided two rural properties in the state's north, uncovering a hidden underground bunker and seizing thousands of rounds of ammunition, firearms, as well as a stash of illegal drugs.
Last week, police raided two rural properties on Pateena Road in Longford and have since arrested and charged a 40-year-old man who lived in one of the houses.
"All up we found a wide variety of firearms … handguns, semi-automatic rifles, double-barrel shot guns, plenty of ammunition and some types of grenade-type explosives," Detective Inspector Craig Fox said.
Trap door to underground bunker
Police said the bunker was made up of four shipping containers, with one of the containers hidden under the house accessed via a trap door, while the other three were joined together and buried in the backyard.
"We're talking about something that was buried a while ago, the undergrowth has now grown over that and it's well hidden," Detective Inspector Fox said.
"Anyone that's going to go to the extent of hiding a bunker on a property or in a house is going to make it fairly well concealed, but we are well trained in looking for dimensions that don't look right, areas where earth has been unturned… we go through under floors, in walls, we'll find hidey-holes in the floor or in the roof.
More than 30 police officers were involved in the targeted searches, police said.
A drone was also used, as well as drug and firearm detecting dogs.
Suspects 'known' to police
A Longford man has been charged with possessing a firearm to which a firearms licence may not be issued, possessing a firearm when not the holder of a firearms licence, possessing ammunition when the holder of a licence, unlawful possession of property and cultivate/possess a controlled plant.
He's been bailed to appear in the Launceston Magistrates Court in August.
"Launceston is a small enough place that we have a good understanding of who our criminals are and what they're doing, so the person that's been charged we've known about them for a while," Detective Inspector Fox said.
In April, police set up a taskforce specifically aiming to crack down on gun crime in the state's north.
"This is more excellent work from our Taskforce… it's taking those firearms out of the hands of criminals and people that should not have them."
Police say none of the firearms found in the haul are registered, and at least one is stolen.
