百春链

Please attribute to Detective Senior Sergeant John Wilson, Bay of Plenty District:?
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A key individual in the illegal supply of firearms in the Bay of Plenty has this week pleaded guilty to a number of charges.
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The 34-year-old man will be sentenced in the Rotorua District Court on 2 July.??
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Police became aware of the man's activity in December 2020 and began an investigation into his involvement into the illegal supply of firearms.?
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The man never held a firearms licence, so was unable to purchase firearms from retailers directly.
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He asked two associates who held their own firearms licences to purchase firearms on his behalf.
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He acquired the firearms and then subsequently sold these on the black market which made their way into the hands of unlicensed individuals involved in criminal activity.
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The man pleaded guilty to four firearms charges, including sale and supply of firearms and unlawfully carrying a firearm, along with two charges of supplying methamphetamine.??
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Removing this individual from the chain of the illegal supply of firearms is only going to benefit our communities.
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Police will continue to target organised crime groups and individuals who continue to pose a risk to our communities though the illegal sale and supply of firearms.?
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Disrupting the illegal supply of firearms to gangs and organised criminal groups, which enables firearms violence, is a key focus of Operation Tauwhiro, a national operation focused on harm prevention and enforcement.
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We are committed to disrupting these kinds of criminal groups, and the community can also play a part to help prevent further harm they cause.
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“Anyone who witnesses suspicious activity, or who suspects organised crime or gang activity in their neighbourhood, is urged to contact Police.”
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You can report it online at 105.police.govt.nz, call Police on 105, or report anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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ENDS

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Issued by Police Media Centre.
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