A gun has also been seized, as has a “conducted energy device”.

Two other people have also been arrested.

Police have issued the following statement:

“Detectives from the Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit have executed warrants at properties in the Warrnambool and Ballarat areas this morning as part of an ongoing investigation.

Police executed warrants from just before 6am today.

The properties were located in Miners Rest and Warrnambool.

Detectives from the Ballarat Divisional Response Unit were also involved in this morning’s operation.

Three people have been arrested including a 48-year-old Miners Rest man, a 38-year-old Yangery man and a 26-year-old Warrnambool man.

They will now be interviewed in relation to sporting integrity matters including obtain financial advantage by deception, engaging in conduct that corrupts or would corrupt a betting outcome of event or event contingency, use of corrupt conduct information for betting purposes, and attempt to commit indictable offence namely obtain financial advantage by deception.

A number of items including a firearm and what is believed to be a conducted energy device were also seized from the properties.

The investigation remains ongoing and has also been assisted by Racing Victoria.

Anyone with information about illegal activity is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report to www.crimestoppersvic.com.au”

The Courier reporter Tim O’Connor said it seemed business as usual in some sections of the stable.

One horse can even be seen working on a treadmill.

Weir has six runners listed at Mornington today. As of 9am, they were still listed.

EARLIER: Police are this morning raiding the stables of Ballarat horse trainer Darren Weir.

Detectives from the Victoria Police sports integrity unit swooped before dawn on the stables.

Police are currently on scene at his Miners Rest property.

The Courier has witnessed a number of plain-clothed and uniformed police at the stables.

There is also a large pack of media gathering.

There are reports the raid is the culmination of an investigation that has been ongoing for months.

There have been suggestions of video evidence which has prompted officials to act.

Racing Victoria has released the following statement, attributed to executive general manager of integrity Jamie Stier:

“Racing Victoria’s Integrity Services team has been conducting an investigation into the activities of licensed persons in the Warrnambool and Ballarat areas. During the course of our investigation we sought the support of Victoria Police’s Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit on the matter, instigating their investigation.

“The Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit this morning executed warrants at properties in Warrnambool and Ballarat where they arrested three licensed persons for questioning. Members of the Racing Victoria Integrity Services team attended licensed stables to assist Victoria Police and to investigate potential offences against the Rules of Racing.

“As the matters are the subject of on-going investigations by Victoria Police and Racing Victoria we are not at liberty at this time to disclose the identities of the persons arrested nor the details of the investigations.

“Racing Victoria is committed to maintaining the highest integrity standards in our sport and, where appropriate, we will continue to work with Victoria Police on those investigations.”

Weir has been based in Ballarat for the past 15 years.

He won the $350,000 Ballarat Cup this year with Kiwia, and had previously won it in 2004 with Just The Part.

He had recently broken his own record for the greatest number of winners trained in a year.

The raids follow the impostion of a $90,000 fine to go with the 2018 life disqualification for another Ballarat trainer, Robert Smerdon, over the trainer's role in the Aquanita case.

Racing Victoria had sought a maximum $100,000 fine in submissions to the RAD Board before penalties were handed down on May 10, 2018.

Smerdon, along with Greg and Denise Nelligan, were handed life disqualifications following an investigation into the Aquanita race day treatments case.

Others banned were trainers Stuart Webb for four years, Tony Vasil for three years, Trent Pennuto for two years, Liam Birchley for one year and stablehand Daniel Garland for one year.