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Police confiscated over 1,000 weapons and gun parts as part of a sweep focusing on the proliferation of unlawful guns in Australia and New Zealand.

Cross-Border Initiative Culminates in Detentions and Recoveries

The week-long transnational operation culminated in over 180 arrests, based on statements from customs agents, and the seizure of 281 DIY guns and components, among them items produced using additive manufacturing devices.

State-Level Discoveries and Apprehensions

Across the state of NSW, police located multiple additive manufacturing devices alongside glock-style pistols, cartridge holders and custom-made holders, in addition to various pieces.

State police reported they detained 45 individuals and confiscated 518 weapons and firearm parts as part of the operation. Multiple individuals were charged with crimes such as the production of illegal guns without proper authorization, shipping prohibited goods and possessing a electronic design for production of firearms – a crime in certain regions.

“Those 3D printed components might appear vibrant, but they are far from playthings. Once assembled, they turn into lethal weapons – completely illegal and highly hazardous,” a senior police official stated in a release. “This is the reason we’re aiming at the full supply chain, from printers to overseas components.

“Citizen protection sits at the core of our gun registration framework. Gun owners are required to be registered, guns must be recorded, and adherence is mandatory.”

Rising Phenomenon of Privately Made Guns

Information obtained as part of an inquiry shows that in the last half-decade more than 9,000 weapons have been reported stolen, and that this year, law enforcement conducted confiscations of homemade firearms in almost every administrative division.

Court records show that the computer blueprints being manufactured within the country, powered by an online community of developers and advocates that promote an “complete liberty to keep and bear arms”, are more dependable and lethal.

Over the past three to four years the trend has been from “highly unskilled, barely operational, practically single-use” to higher-quality firearms, law enforcement reported previously.

Immigration Interceptions and Online Purchases

Pieces that are difficult to fabricated are commonly purchased from online retailers internationally.

A senior immigration officer stated that more than 8,000 illegal weapons, components and accessories had been discovered at the border in the last financial year.

“Overseas firearm parts are often put together with other privately manufactured parts, forming risky and untraceable guns making their way to our neighborhoods,” the officer said.

“A lot of these goods are offered by digital stores, which might cause individuals to incorrectly assume they are unregulated on import. Many of these websites only arrange transactions from overseas on the buyer’s behalf without any considerations for import regulations.”

Additional Seizures In Various Areas

Recoveries of items such as a crossbow and fire projector were also made in Victoria, the western territory, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, where police reported they discovered multiple privately manufactured weapons, along with a fabrication tool in the distant settlement of Nhulunbuy.