Police made an arrest during an extensive search of a property as they searched for a missing worker who mysteriously vanished without a trace.
Adrian Romeo, 43, was last seen at his home on Dempster Drive in Craigieburn, in Melbourne’s north, at about 5.30pm on February 10.
Police believe the builder may be the victim of foul play and officers spent Tuesday searching a property for a possible burglary. Nine news reported.
The rural property in Wildwood, north-west of Melbourne, is 21km from where Mr Romeo was last seen.
More than 100 police officers and SES members were seen with cadaver-sniffing dogs and dirt bikes as they searched the 400-acre property on Tuesday.
A 34-year-old man who was living in a bus on the property was arrested after detectives allegedly found guns, drugs, ammunition and stolen vehicles.
Victoria Police confirmed to Daily Mail Australia early Wednesday that the man has since been charged with unlawful possession of firearms, possession of ammunition cartridges, possession of imitation firearms, handling stolen goods and possession of habit-forming drugs.
The charges are not related to Mr. Romeo’s disappearance or presumed death.
Adrian Romeo, 43 (pictured), was last seen at his home on February 10.
More than 100 police and SES members searched the property (pictured) using dirt bikes, gardening tools and cadaver-sniffing dogs.
The 34-year-old will spend the night in custody and will appear at Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
Police believe the man was not known to Mr Romeo.
At least four vehicles were reportedly seized from the property for forensic examination in the hope they could provide a link to Mr Romeo’s disappearance.
Detectives are understood to have been scouring Wildwood Road for CCTV footage of Romeo’s car for weeks after the 43-year-old went missing.
Police on Sunday launched a public appeal for information on Romeo’s whereabouts.
His cousin Charlie described the 43-year-old as a “hard worker” and “loved by a lot of people”.
“How this happened, we don’t know,” he said.
On February 10, Mr. Romeo told his parents he was going to Greenvale to visit some friends.
Mr Romeo is believed to have left in his gold Camry to attend an address in the neighbouring suburb, where he spoke to several associates there.
A man who lived in a bus on the property was arrested (pictured, police searching the large estate)
Police believe Mr Romeo was involved in a crime as it was out of character for him not to contact his close-knit family and close circle of friends.
The 43-year-old has not been heard from since and his bank accounts remain untouched, leading detectives to suspect his disappearance is suspicious.
Mr Romeo’s phone has not been used since he disappeared, raising serious concerns that he may now be dead.
“Adrian has a large number of friends, there is nothing in Adrian’s history that links him to any organised crime, there is nothing to explain why he would have disappeared,” Detective Inspector Dean Thomas of Victoria’s Homicide Squad said on Sunday.
‘Adrian’s disappearance is incredibly worrying for the police, as well as his friends and family,’
“We are very sure that Adrian’s disappearance is suspicious and I believe he is deceased.”
Before his disappearance, Mr. Romeo was close to his friends and family.
It is considered out of place not to communicate with anyone.