SYDNEY, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Police in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) have arrested a man after seizing firearms and a commercial quantity of illicit drugs during raids north of Sydney.

Photo: Xinhua

The NSW Police Force said on Thursday that officers were notified on Tuesday morning of a single-vehicle crash in the suburb of San Remo, 80 km north of Sydney, where a man was seen running from the scene carrying a black bag.

A subsequent search of the area by police located two black bags allegedly containing two pistols and large quantities of methamphetamine and other illicit drugs.

A short time later, officers executed a search warrant at a home in San Remo where they allegedly located and seized seven more firearms, ammunition, commercial quantities of prohibited drugs and drug paraphernalia.

The search followed earlier seizures of ammunition and prohibited drugs by officers conducting firearm prohibition order compliance checks at nearby homes.

Police officers returned to the San Remo property on Wednesday and arrested a 24-year-old man.

He was taken to a local police station and charged with two counts of supplying a prohibited drug in large commercial quantities, one count of knowingly dealing with the proceeds of crime as well as firearms offenses.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.