SYDNEY, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- An Australian man has been arrested and charged with animal cruelty offenses after 98 kangaroos were found dead north of Sydney.

Police found the kangaroos dead on federal government-owned land in the town of Singleton, about 140 km north of Sydney in the east coast state of New South Wales (NSW), along with ammunition and two cartridges on Oct. 8.

In a statement issued on Monday, NSW Police said that a 43-year-old man has been charged with six crimes over the incident following an investigation.

The man was arrested during a raid on a property in Williamtown, almost 70 km east of Singleton, on Friday.

While executing a search warrant, NSW Police said that officers found and seized three firearms. A number of firearms were also seized from a second property in the area.

The man has been charged with committing an act of aggravated cruelty upon an animal, harming a protected animal, trespassing on Commonwealth land and firearm offenses.

Kangaroos are protected native animals in every Australian state and territory.

Anyone found guilty of harming a protected animal in NSW faces a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment for each offense. ■