Two arrested after cocaine, shotgun seized by east Australian police

SYDNEY, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- Police in the eastern Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) have arrested two men after seizing over 1 kg of cocaine and a shotgun during separate vehicle stops.

The state police force said on Thursday that a 32-year-old male driver tested positive for cocaine after he was pulled over for speeding on a highway over 200 km northeast of Sydney around 12:15 p.m. local time on Wednesday.

The man was arrested, and officers conducted a search of the vehicle, during which they located and seized a 1.1 kg brick of cocaine.

Police said that the cocaine had an estimated street value of 350,000 Australian dollars (about 245,544.3 U.S. dollars).

The driver was subsequently charged with supplying a prohibited drug in a large commercial quantity, which carries a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.

Several hours later, NSW Police said on Thursday that an unregistered vehicle was stopped by officers in the town of Lismore, over 500 km northeast of Sydney, after midnight.

Officers observed a firearm in the vehicle while speaking to the 49-year-old driver, and he was arrested.

A double-barreled shotgun, ammunition, a pocket knife, a slingshot and a small quantity of methamphetamine were seized from the vehicle, and the driver was charged with eight offenses, including possessing an unauthorized firearm, possessing ammunition without a permit and possessing a prohibited drug.

Both men were refused bail.