A man has been charged with allegedly having homemade pipe bombs inside a car in the state’s Riverina region.

About 12.30pm yesterday (Monday 30 September 2024), officers attached to Murrumbidgee Police District stopped a vehicle travelling in a westerly direction on Sturt Highway, near Hay, for random breath testing.

During a search of the car, police allegedly located cannabis leaf, methylamphetamine, a large knife and two explosive devices believed to be homemade pipe bombs.

Police closed Sturt Highway and an exclusion zone was established in both directions for safety reasons.

The Rescue Bomb Disposal Unit were called to the scene and confirmed the devices were explosives before they were dismantled.

Two men, aged 33 and 30, were arrested and taken to Hay Police Station while police established an investigation.

The 33-year-old man was charged with two counts of possess explosive in public place, two counts of possess prohibited drug and custody of knife in public place.

He was refused bail to appear before Griffith Local Court today (Tuesday 1 October 2024).

The 30-year-old man was released without charge pending further investigations.