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Law enforcement taken possession of more than 1,000 guns and weapon pieces during a sweep targeting the spread of illicit weapons in Australia and the island nation.

International Effort Culminates in Apprehensions and Recoveries

A seven-day international initiative led to more than 180 detentions, based on statements from customs agents, and the confiscation of 281 DIY weapons and components, among them products created with 3D printers.

Local Revelations and Apprehensions

Across the state of NSW, police discovered numerous additive manufacturing devices together with glock-style pistols, magazines and custom-made holders, among other items.

State police said they arrested 45 people and confiscated 518 weapons and gun components during the effort. Several individuals were faced with crimes such as the manufacture of banned weapons without a licence, importing prohibited goods and possessing a electronic design for manufacture of guns – a crime in various jurisdictions.

“These additively manufactured parts might appear bright, but they are not toys. Once assembled, they are transformed into lethal weapons – completely illegal and very risky,” a senior police official said in a announcement. “This is the reason we’re aiming at the full supply chain, from manufacturing devices to imported parts.

“Citizen protection forms the basis of our weapon control program. Gun owners are required to be authorized, firearms are obliged to be registered, and compliance is absolute.”

Rising Issue of Privately Made Guns

Information obtained during an investigation shows that over the past five years over 9,000 firearms have been taken illegally, and that currently, police conducted confiscations of homemade guns in almost every administrative division.

Judicial files reveal that the 3D models currently produced within the country, powered by an internet group of designers and supporters that advocate for an “unlimited right to possess firearms”, are increasingly reliable and deadly.

In recent three to four years the pattern has been from “highly unskilled, very low-powered, nearly disposable” to superior weapons, police reported at the time.

Customs Discoveries and Online Transactions

Pieces that cannot be reliably 3D-printed are frequently acquired from e-commerce sites abroad.

A senior customs agent said that more than 8,000 illegal guns, pieces and add-ons had been discovered at the customs checkpoint in the last financial year.

“Foreign-sourced weapon pieces can be constructed with further DIY parts, producing dangerous and untraceable firearms making their way to our streets,” the agent stated.

“Numerous of these products are being sold by online retailers, which could result in users to incorrectly assume they are unregulated on shipment. A lot of these websites simply place orders from overseas acting as an intermediary with no regard for customs laws.”

Further Confiscations Throughout Multiple Territories

Seizures of products including a crossbow and incendiary device were further executed in Victoria, the western territory, the island state and the the NT, where police stated they discovered several privately manufactured firearms, in addition to a additive manufacturing device in the isolated community of Nhulunbuy.