❓ WA Parliamentary Question on Notice regarding police raids targeting individuals identified as sovereign citizens, focusing on criteria, charges laid, and firearms seized. The Minister provides details on identification methods, charges, and firearm statistics.
AnsweredQoN 821Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
Western Australia Police Force—Sovereign citizens—Firearms
821. Hon Phil Twiss to
the minister representing the Minister for Police:
I refer to the
recent police raids targeting people deemed to be self-proclaimed sovereign
citizens.
(1) Can the minister please advise what criteria
have been used to identify or define a sovereign citizen?
(2) How many charges have been laid in connection
with these raids?
(3) Will the minister please list the types of
charges that were laid?
(4) What was the total number of firearms seized
in these raids?
(5) Of those firearms seized:
(a) how many were unregistered firearms; and
(b) how many were prohibited firearms?
821. Hon Phil Twiss to
the minister representing the Minister for Police:
I refer to the
recent police raids targeting people deemed to be self-proclaimed sovereign
citizens.
(1) Can the minister please advise what criteria
have been used to identify or define a sovereign citizen?
(2) How many charges have been laid in connection
with these raids?
(3) Will the minister please list the types of
charges that were laid?
(4) What was the total number of firearms seized
in these raids?
(5) Of those firearms seized:
(a) how many were unregistered firearms; and
(b) how many were prohibited firearms?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member
for some notice of the question. The following answer has been provided to me
by the Minister for Police.
(1) In the recent operation, individuals were
identified using behavioural and ideological indicators informed by police
intelligence. This included previously recorded incident management system
(IMS) alerts relating to sovereign citizen activity; intelligence from law
enforcement databases; and common indicators such as the denial of the
legitimate authority of government. These criteria were applied in the context
of risk assessments and firearm licensing reviews.
(2) As of 10 October
2025, 23 charges have been laid.
(3) This part of the answer includes a list and
would be better incorporated into Hansard . I
seek leave to have that part of the answer incorporated into Hansard .
Leave granted for
the following material to be incorporated.
� 13 x Fail to Store Firearm in Compliant Cabinet
� 4 x Unlawful Possession of Ammunition
� 1 x Fail to Secure Ammunition
� 2 x Possess Prohibited Accessory (Suppressors)
� 1 x Possess Controlled Weapon (Compound Bow)
� 1 x Possess Prohibited Drug (Cannabis)
� 1 x Cultivate Prohibited Drug (Cannabis)
(4) As of 10 October 2025, 164 firearms have been
seized.
(5) (a) Four.
(b) Zero.
for some notice of the question. The following answer has been provided to me
by the Minister for Police.
(1) In the recent operation, individuals were
identified using behavioural and ideological indicators informed by police
intelligence. This included previously recorded incident management system
(IMS) alerts relating to sovereign citizen activity; intelligence from law
enforcement databases; and common indicators such as the denial of the
legitimate authority of government. These criteria were applied in the context
of risk assessments and firearm licensing reviews.
(2) As of 10 October
2025, 23 charges have been laid.
(3) This part of the answer includes a list and
would be better incorporated into Hansard . I
seek leave to have that part of the answer incorporated into Hansard .
Leave granted for
the following material to be incorporated.
� 13 x Fail to Store Firearm in Compliant Cabinet
� 4 x Unlawful Possession of Ammunition
� 1 x Fail to Secure Ammunition
� 2 x Possess Prohibited Accessory (Suppressors)
� 1 x Possess Controlled Weapon (Compound Bow)
� 1 x Possess Prohibited Drug (Cannabis)
� 1 x Cultivate Prohibited Drug (Cannabis)
(4) As of 10 October 2025, 164 firearms have been
seized.
(5) (a) Four.
(b) Zero.
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