Multiple licenced gun owners have been arrested after they bought a large number of firearms, suspected to have ended up on the black market.

The arrests came amid a police investigation in the Bay of Plenty and Gisborne.

Police executed raids at five properties across the two regions, which led to three firearms licence holders and one revoked former licence holder being charged with unlawfully possessing firearms. Two had since pleaded guilty to their offences and were awaiting sentencing.

One of those arrested was also being investigated after a small cannabis cultivation was seized from his address.

A firearms dealer also had his license suspended.

Detective Inspector Albie Alexander said investigators identified the men, aged in their 20s and 30s, after they made “suspicious purchases of a large number of firearms” in the Western Bay of Plenty and Auckland over four months in 2022.

The group allegedly bought a total of 50 guns between them, which had not been recovered.

“It is suspected they are now in the unlicensed black market,” Alexander said.

However, police seized more than 75 other firearms as part of firearms licence temporary suspension notices served to the three licence holders and dealer while their “fit and proper” status was reviewed.

The Firearms Safety Authority’s executive director Angela Brazier said the men’s licences were “quickly suspended”.

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A 36-year-old man was due to appear in the Gisborne District Court on September 8.

Two men, aged 28 and 27, pleaded guilty to the offending and would appear in the Whakatāne District Court on October 9 for sentencing.

A 27-year-old man was due to reappear in the Ōpōtiki District Court on October 30.

Brazier said it was “particularly concerning” that a firearms dealer was part of the investigation.

“Firearms dealers are subject to higher thresholds of conduct to be considered a fit and proper person to hold a dealer’s licence.”

Brazier said guns being funnelled from licensed holders to the black market remained a “threat to public safety”.

“The majority of firearms licence holders are good law-abiding people, unfortunately there are still a few who divert firearms to unlicensed offenders.”

Police urged anyone concerned about a potential firearms offence to call 105, or 111 if there was an immediate threat to life.

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