A ‘safe house’ for alleged drug dealers on a quiet street in a Darwin northern suburb was at the centre of a massive drug bust involving the seizure of a huge haul of meth, cocaine and cannabis, tens of thousands in cash and several prohibited firearms, including a pistol with a silencer, NT Police said.

Three people are now facing charges in connection to the drug operation.

Detectives in the NT Police’s Drug and Organised Crime Division first received intelligence on July 11, 2025 that two guns – a 7.62mm SKS semi-automatic rifle and a 12-gauge shotgun – were being delivered from Queensland to a 22-year-old NT man.

Police said DOCD detectives then struck Operation Werra, which gathered evidence “implicating the 22-year-old male in the commercial supply of cocaine, methamphetamine and cannabis”.

Police allege a 64-year-old woman who is related to the man was “working in partnership with him in the supply of the cannabis”.

On Thursday, September 18, police executed a legal search at a residence on Britomart Gardens in Alawa, which police said was “allegedly known as the offenders’ ‘safe house'”.

Police said they seized 560g of methamphetamine, 1.8kg of cannabis and $45,000 in cash during the raid.

A 65-year-old woman who lived at the residence and was known to the pair was arrested at the scene and taken to the Palmerston watch house.

Drug and Organised Crime detectives arrested the 22-year-old shortly after the raid, when he was located driving his Toyota Hilux on Tasman Circuit in Wagaman.

But police said he first attempted to evade arrest by reversing his vehicle after police attempted to open the car door. He then drove forward, “causing one member to take evasive action to avoid being stuck,” police said.

“The police vehicle was driven forward to avoid endangering police further,” Detective Senior Constable Mark Bond said in a statement.

“The 22-year-old male allegedly struck the police vehicle with his vehicle before he was safely extracted and secured on the ground.”

Four grams of meth and $950 cash was found in the search of the Hilux, police said.

The 22-year-old also returned a positive drug test result and was taken to the Palmerston watch house “where he later tested positive for methamphetamine, cocaine and opioids”.

More cannabis and a .22 calibre semi-automatic pistol with a silencer were later found during a search of the man’s house in Curlew Circuit in Wulagi, police said.

The 64-year-old woman who is related to the man was also arrested at the Wulagi home for the supply of a commercial quantity of schedule 2 drugs, police said.

The next day, on September 19, police executed another search at a home in Earl Place, Millner where 250 grams of cannabis was located. Police did not explain what led them to that home.

The 22-year-old man was charged with a dozen charges, including possessing and supplying cocaine, meth and cannabis; possessing/using a silencer; recklessly endangering life; possessing/using prohibited firearm; and driving with drugs in blood.

Police said he is expected to later be charged with possessing 1.25 kilos of cocaine which was seized in July.

He was remanded to appear at Darwin Local Court on September 29.

The 65-year-old female was charged with possessing and supplying commercial quantities of a schedule 1 and 2 drug, as well as receiving property in commission of an offence. She was bailed to appear on November 19.

The 64-year-old woman was also charged with drug supply and possession offences and receiving property.

However, she was remanded to appear in court on September 26.

“The Northern Territory Drug and Organised Crime Division will stop at nothing to prevent these offences occurring in the Territory and we will continue to disrupt the supply and distribution of harmful substances and prohibited firearms into our community,” Snr Constable Bond said.