🔗 Share this article Large-Scale Illegal Guns Crackdown Leads to In excess of 1,000 Pieces Confiscated in New Zealand and AU Law enforcement confiscated more than 1,000 guns and firearm components during a sweep aimed at the spread of illicit guns in Australia and New Zealand. Cross-Border Effort Culminates in Arrests and Seizures The week-long cross-border effort resulted in more than 180 arrests, based on statements from customs agents, and the seizure of 281 privately manufactured guns and parts, among them items created with three-dimensional printers. Local Finds and Detentions Across the state of NSW, police located several three-dimensional printers alongside semi-automatic handguns, magazines and custom-made holders, among other items. State law enforcement reported they detained 45 individuals and seized 518 firearms and gun components as part of the operation. Numerous persons were faced with offences including the manufacture of banned guns without a licence, bringing in illegal products and owning a electronic design for production of firearms – a crime in certain regions. “Such 3D printed components may look vibrant, but they are far from playthings. After construction, they turn into deadly arms – completely illegal and very risky,” a senior police official stated in a announcement. “This is the reason we’re focusing on the complete pipeline, from printers to foreign pieces. “Community security forms the basis of our weapon control program. Gun owners must be authorized, weapons have to be recorded, and compliance is absolute.” Growing Phenomenon of Homemade Guns Statistics gathered as part of an probe shows that in the last half-decade over 9,000 weapons have been taken illegally, and that currently, authorities conducted confiscations of DIY firearms in nearly all administrative division. Legal documents show that the 3D models currently produced within the country, powered by an online community of developers and supporters that promote an “unlimited right to possess firearms”, are increasingly reliable and lethal. During the last three to four years the trend has been from “very novice, barely operational, practically single-use” to superior firearms, law enforcement reported earlier. Border Discoveries and Online Transactions Components that cannot be reliably 3D-printed are commonly purchased from digital stores abroad. A senior immigration officer commented that over 8,000 illegal firearms, pieces and add-ons had been discovered at the border in the last financial year. “Foreign-sourced gun components can be constructed with further DIY pieces, forming hazardous and unmarked guns making their way to our streets,” the agent said. “Many of these items are available for purchase by digital stores, which might cause individuals to mistakenly think they are unregulated on shipment. A lot of these websites just process purchases from overseas acting as an intermediary with no regard for import regulations.” Other Recoveries Throughout Various Regions Seizures of objects including a crossbow and incendiary device were also made in the state of Victoria, Western Australia, the island state and the the central territory, where law enforcement said they found multiple homemade weapons, in addition to a 3D printer in the isolated community of a specific location.