Detectives investigating the disappearance of Belmont mother, Carly McBride, have charged a man with drug and firearm offences.

About 12.30pm today (Thursday 23 April 2015), officers from the Hunter Valley’s Strike Force Karabi executed search warrants at three addresses within the local area: Gundy Road, Scone, Ted Clay Street, Muswellbrook, and Hayes Street, Scone.

During a search of these properties three firearms, (two shortened), a silencer and an extendable baton were seized as well as a substance suspected of being methamphetamine and $5875 in cash.

A 24-year-old man was arrested at the Ted Clay Street address. He was taken to Muswellbrook Police Station where he was charged with 13 offences relating to the possession and supply of methamphetamine, possession of firearms, and dealing with the proceeds of crime.

The man has been refused bail and will appear in Scone Local Court tomorrow (Friday 24 April 2015).

Strike Force Karabi investigators stressed the charges did not relate to the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Carly McBride; however, these did arise from that same investigation.

Carly, 31, was last seen on Calgaroo Avenue at Muswellbrook about 2pm on Tuesday 30 September 2014. Officers from Hunter Valley Local Area Command were alerted when she failed to return to her Belmont home and couldn’t be located or contacted.

An investigation has been ongoing since her disappearance, with detectives following a number of lines of inquiry. Carly is described as being of Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander appearance, about 165cm to 175cm tall, with a thin build, brown hair and eyes.

Police continue to hold serious concerns for her welfare, and are investigating a possible homicide.

Anyone with information about either matter should call Muswellbrook police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 online reporting page: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au/ Information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. We remind people they should not report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Police divers have retrieved the body of a woman from a car which was swept into floodwaters in the Central Hunter.

About 8.50am (Wednesday 22 April 2015), police and emergency services were called to Cessnock Road, Maitland, following reports two vehicles had been swept into floodwaters.

On arrival, police from Central Hunter Local Area Command and officers from Fire & Rescue NSW and the State Emergency Service (SES), were told two vehicles had been swept away and were submerged.

Several people entered the water to assist and they, in turn, had to be rescued.

The search continued throughout the day and about 6.15pm, police located the two vehicles.

Police divers were able to confirm no one in the second vehicle, however, the body of an 86-year-old Gillieston Heights woman was retrieved from the first vehicle.

While police had been told two people may have been in that first vehicle, divers could find no evidence that a second person was in the car. At this time, there have been no reports of people missing that could be connected to this incident.

A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.