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Law enforcement taken possession of more than 1,000 firearms and firearm components during a crackdown focusing on the proliferation of unlawful firearms in the country and the island nation.

Cross-Border Operation Leads to Detentions and Confiscations

This extended cross-border initiative led to over 180 detentions, based on statements from immigration authorities, and the confiscation of 281 DIY firearms and parts, including products created with additive manufacturing devices.

Local Discoveries and Apprehensions

In New South Wales, authorities discovered multiple three-dimensional printers together with semi-automatic handguns, cartridge holders and 3D-printed holsters, in addition to various pieces.

Regional law enforcement said they apprehended 45 suspects and took possession of 518 firearms and weapon pieces during the operation. Several persons were faced with violations including the production of illegal firearms without a licence, importing illegal products and having a digital blueprint for creation of firearms – a crime in certain regions.

“Such fabricated pieces may look vibrant, but they are not toys. After construction, they turn into lethal weapons – entirely illicit and extremely dangerous,” an experienced detective commented in a release. “That’s why we’re focusing on the full supply chain, from printers to foreign pieces.

“Public safety is the foundation of our firearms licensing system. Firearm users need to be authorized, firearms have to be registered, and compliance is mandatory.”

Growing Issue of Homemade Guns

Data obtained as part of an inquiry indicates that over the past five years in excess of 9,000 guns have been reported stolen, and that this year, law enforcement conducted confiscations of DIY guns in nearly all regional jurisdiction.

Judicial files indicate that the 3D models currently produced domestically, fuelled by an digital network of creators and supporters that support an “complete liberty to keep and bear arms”, are more dependable and dangerous.

In recent three to four years the trend has been from “extremely amateur, very low-powered, almost a one-shot weapon” to more advanced weapons, law enforcement said earlier.

Customs Seizures and Online Purchases

Components that are difficult to fabricated are commonly acquired from online retailers overseas.

A high-ranking immigration officer said that over 8,000 illicit guns, pieces and attachments had been discovered at the frontier in the previous fiscal year.

“Foreign-sourced firearm parts are often put together with other DIY components, forming dangerous and unregistered firearms filtering onto our communities,” the officer stated.

“A lot of these goods are available for purchase by digital stores, which might cause people to mistakenly think they are permitted on shipment. A lot of these services simply place orders from abroad acting as an intermediary with no regard for customs laws.”

Other Recoveries Across Various Areas

Seizures of objects among them a projectile launcher and flame-thrower were further executed in the state of Victoria, the western territory, the island state and the the NT, where law enforcement reported they located a number of homemade weapons, in addition to a 3D printer in the remote town of the named area.