Two teenagers have been refused bail at Sydney’s Parramatta Local Court after being charged with firearm and drug offences overnight by the NSW Joint Counter Terrorism team.

Bilal Alameddine and Saminjan Azari, both aged 18, appeared in court via audio visual link this morning.

Their lawyer made no application for bail and they have been remanded in custody to reappear in court next week.

In court today the pair was supported by family.

The were arrested and charged yesterday following raids on properties at Merrylands and Toongabbie by counter-terrorism police.

They were charged with 17 offences each, including selling guns, supplying ammunition and supplying drugs in a commercial quantity.

NSW Deputy Police Commissioner David Hudson alleged the guns were destined for the black market and potentially into the hands of terrorists.

“For the past two months that particular strike force has been involved in the purchase of illicit firearms and other illicit commodities from targets we will suggest are closely linked to those suspected to be involved in terrorist activities,” he said.

Deputy Police Commissioner Hudson said police had seized a variety of weapons including three pistols, two shortened-long-arm and three long-arm firearms, cash and a large amount of illicit drugs including cocaine.

He said the pair were arrested after they allegedly tried to sell guns to undercover police.

“We do monitor a large number of individuals within our community that we have suspicions over in relation to terrorist activity. These targets came up on the periphery of that,” he said.

“We took that opportunity to try to remove [the guns] from the streets before they could fall into hands in either the terrorism or criminal environment where they could do damage to the community.”

Among the items also allegedly seized were fake police vests.

“Part of the seizure was imitation police vests, they weren’t actually police vests, and we’re further exploring those,” the Deputy Police Commissioner said.

The investigation involved officers from the Australian Federal Police, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation and the New South Wales Crime Commission.

Deputy Commissioner Hudson said the terror threat level in NSW and Australia remained at probable.