Nigel Hunt
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/rocket-launcher-discovered-in-bikie-raid/story-fn6bm6am-1226000692160
Weapon seized: A file photograph of a deactivated M72 rocket launcher. Picture: Supplied. Source: Supplied.
A DEADLY rocket launcher has been seized in an Adelaide house, and police are investigating if is one of 10 stolen from an army base in Sydney four years ago.
The weapon was discovered when detectives raided a Parafield Gardens house during an investigation into violent crime being committed by associates of the Finks motorcycle gang.
It is unknown how the man charged over the discovery, Serge Zaporoshenko, 27, who associates with the targets of the Crime Gangs Task Force investigation, obtained it.
The weapon, an M72 LAW (light anti-tank weapon) is almost 30 years old.
Although it had been converted to use high-velocity training rounds, it can fire an improvised explosive device and can be modified to fire the rockets it is designed for.
Zaporoshenko faces four charges in connection with the weapon, which belongs to the Australian army.
He faces three charges under the Firearms Act: possessing a prescribed firearm without holding a licence; possessing an unregistered firearm; and acquiring a rocket launcher without a permit.
Court documents reveal Zaporoshenko also faces one count of theft by "retaining, converting, disposing of or otherwise dealing with property, namely a rocket launcher of a value involving $2500 or less, the property of the Australian Army".
Zaporoshenko appeared in court last week and was remanded on continuing bail. He will formally answer the charge in May.
After being arrested in December, he was given bail with strict conditions, including that he remain at his home address between 10pm and 6am, not possess any firearms and not possess any Defence Force property.
A Defence spokesman said yesterday attempts had been made to trace the origins of the launcher, but its identification had been removed and it was not known whether it had been lost or stolen.
The spokesman said stringent control requirements were introduced for MR72 light armour weapons in 2007 after a security review.
"They have also been applied to empty rocket launchers such as this one.
"Each M72 LAW is now individually traced from the time it is received by Defence until the time the empty launcher is destroyed."
No empty M72 launchers were unaccounted for, the spokesman said.
Detective Superintendent Des Bray, of the Crime Gangs Task Force, said it was "a concern that people have possession of illegal firearms or weapons such as this".
