A 47-year-old man has appeared before the Ballarat Magistrate’s Court after police allegedly found guns made using a 3D printer at a rural property in Gordon.

Police say they also found a large hydroponic cannabis operation at the property.

Five of the 3D printed guns, machined gun parts and schematics are alleged to have been located when police had executed two warrants at the property on October 26, 2023 and July 3 this year.

The owner of the property, An Dinh Tran, 47, unsuccessfully made a bail application when he appeared before the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court last week.

At the hearing, the court heard from an investigating officer who said Tran would pose a risk of reoffending if he were granted bail.

The magistrate denied Tran bail and he is now listed to reappear in court on September 6.

Detectives from the Criminal Proceeds Squad have this month charged a Gordon man and seized a firearm, ammunition, drugs and fireworks as part of an investigation into the manufacturing of firearms.

With assistance from the Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT), a 47-year-old Gordon man was arrested at his rural property in Gordon, near Ballarat, on Wednesday July 3.

He was charged with possess traffickable quantity of firearms, manufacture category A longarm, possess instruction manual to manufacture a firearm, prohibited person possess firearm, cultivate narcotic plant, possess methylamphetamine, possess unsecured ammunition and possess commercial explosive firework.

During the search of the property, police allegedly located and seized a manufactured longarm, ammunition, 29 cannabis plants and commercial fireworks.

An initial investigation by the Illicit Firearms Squad into firearm manufacturing led to a Criminal Proceeds Squad investigation into the assets of the 47-year-old man suitable for restraint.

On 18 June, a Confiscation Act restraining order was issued in the County Court for the rural Gordon property.

The 47-year-old man was served with documentation on Wednesday July 3.

Anyone with information about illicit firearms is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a confidential report at the state’s Crime Stoppers website online.

Detectives from the Illicit Firearms Squad seized 14 firearms and a range of drugs following a search of a property in Gordon, just out of Ballarat, last week as part of an investigation into firearms trafficking and manufacture.

A warrant was executed at the Portland Flat Road address on Thursday, 26 October after information was received from the ABF.

During the search of the property, police located seven handguns including four home-made weapons, four longarms, three imitation firearms, a home-made flame thrower, firearm parts, ammunition, a 3D printer and equipment.

Police also located more than 70 mature cannabis plants, cannabis saplings and a small quantity of methylamphetamine.

A 47-year-old Gordon man was arrested and interviewed by police. He was subsequently charged with the following:

• Possess a traffickable quantity of firearms

• Prohibited person possess a firearm

• Manufacture a firearm

• Possess parts for manufacturing a firearm

• Prohibited person possess an imitation firearm

• Prohibited person possess a prohibited weapon

• Possess cartridge ammunition

• Cultivate cannabis

• Possess cannabis

• Possess methylamphetamine

The man has been bailed to appear at the Bacchus Marsh Magistrates’ Court on 15 December, 2023. The investigation remained ongoing.

The Illicit Firearms Squad is based within Victoria Police’s Crime Command and targets the manufacture, trafficking and use of illicit firearms across Victoria.

Anyone with information about illicit firearms is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a confidential report via the crimestoppers website.