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Authorities taken possession of over 1,000 firearms and weapon pieces during a crackdown targeting the circulation of illicit firearms in Australia and New Zealand.

Cross-Border Operation Results in Arrests and Recoveries

The week-long international operation resulted in over 180 apprehensions, according to immigration authorities, and the seizure of 281 DIY firearms and components, among them products produced using 3D printers.

Regional Revelations and Detentions

In New South Wales, law enforcement located numerous additive manufacturing devices in addition to glock-style pistols, ammunition clips and fabricated carrying cases, in addition to various pieces.

Local authorities said they arrested 45 suspects and confiscated 518 guns and gun components as part of the initiative. Several individuals were charged with offences such as the production of illegal firearms without proper authorization, shipping banned items and owning a digital blueprint for manufacture of weapons – a crime in some states.

“Those fabricated pieces could seem vibrant, but they are not toys. Once assembled, they are transformed into deadly arms – totally unlawful and highly hazardous,” a high-ranking officer said in a release. “For this purpose we’re focusing on the full supply chain, from manufacturing devices to foreign pieces.

“Citizen protection sits at the core of our gun registration framework. Gun owners need to be authorized, guns must be registered, and adherence is absolute.”

Rising Phenomenon of Homemade Firearms

Data obtained for an probe shows that in the last half-decade more than 9,000 firearms have been taken illegally, and that currently, law enforcement conducted confiscations of privately manufactured weapons in almost every state and territory.

Court records show that the 3D models currently produced domestically, fuelled by an digital network of developers and enthusiasts that advocate for an “complete liberty to keep and bear arms”, are increasingly reliable and lethal.

In recent three to four years the development has been from “highly unskilled, very low-powered, almost a one-shot weapon” to higher-quality firearms, police said previously.

Customs Discoveries and Web-Based Sales

Components that are difficult to 3D-printed are often acquired from online retailers overseas.

A senior border official stated that in excess of 8,000 illicit firearms, components and add-ons had been detected at the customs checkpoint in the last financial year.

“Overseas weapon pieces can be constructed with further privately manufactured parts, forming risky and untraceable weapons making their way to our neighborhoods,” the officer said.

“Many of these products are available for purchase by digital stores, which could result in users to mistakenly think they are permitted on import. Many of these services only arrange transactions from abroad acting as an intermediary with no regard for import regulations.”

Additional Recoveries Across Multiple Regions

Recoveries of items including a crossbow and flame-thrower were also made in the state of Victoria, the WA region, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, where police reported they found several privately manufactured guns, along with a fabrication tool in the remote town of a specific location.