Two people in the Bendigo area have recently lost their firearms licences after purchasing silencers online from overseas.
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Divisional firearms officer Leading Senior Constable Mark Wilkinson said one man lost his licence this past week and another about a month ago after the prohibited suppressors, commonly known as silencers, were found by border control officers scanning mail.
They had been sent from China and Poland.
Leading Senior Constable Wilkinson said the silencers were often sold online under the guise of more innocuous items, such as fuel filters.
He said the men had their licences suspended and were given a notice of intention to cancel.
Such an offence would make it “very hard” for them to reacquire a licence in the future, Leading Senior Constable Wilkinson said.
Over the coming months, police will increasingly focus on firearms storage in the region.
Leading Senior Constable Wilkinson said police would target those considered to be at higher risk, such as those with high numbers of firearms or those who had never been inspected, to ensure compliance.
People who do not store their firearms properly risk large fines and the cancellation of their firearms licence.