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Police confiscated in excess of 1,000 weapons and weapon pieces in a operation aimed at the proliferation of illicit firearms in the country and New Zealand.

International Operation Results in Apprehensions and Recoveries

A seven-day cross-border initiative led to more than 180 detentions, according to border officials, and the confiscation of 281 DIY weapons and parts, among them products made by three-dimensional printers.

Regional Discoveries and Detentions

Across the state of NSW, police located several three-dimensional printers alongside glock-style pistols, ammunition clips and 3D-printed holsters, along with other gear.

State authorities reported they arrested 45 people and confiscated 518 weapons and weapon pieces as part of the effort. Several individuals were accused of violations such as the production of banned weapons without a licence, shipping banned items and owning a digital blueprint for manufacture of firearms – an offense in some states.

“Those fabricated pieces could seem colourful, but they are not toys. After construction, they are transformed into lethal weapons – entirely illicit and extremely dangerous,” an experienced detective stated in a statement. “For this purpose we’re focusing on the full supply chain, from printers to foreign pieces.

“Public safety sits at the core of our weapon control program. Gun owners need to be licensed, firearms are obliged to be recorded, and compliance is absolute.”

Growing Phenomenon of Privately Made Firearms

Information collected during an inquiry reveals that over the past five years in excess of 9,000 guns have been lost to theft, and that in 2025, police executed recoveries of homemade guns in almost every state and territory.

Legal documents indicate that the 3D models currently produced domestically, fuelled by an online community of creators and enthusiasts that promote an “unlimited right to own and carry weapons”, are more dependable and lethal.

During the last few years the trend has been from “very novice, minimally functional, nearly disposable” to superior firearms, authorities reported previously.

Customs Interceptions and Web-Based Purchases

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

A senior immigration officer said that more than 8,000 illegal guns, components and attachments had been discovered at the customs checkpoint in the last financial year.

“Overseas gun components can be constructed with other DIY components, forming risky and unregistered firearms appearing on our communities,” the official stated.

“Numerous of these goods are offered by digital stores, which could result in people to wrongly believe they are not controlled on shipment. Many of these websites just process purchases from international on the buyer’s behalf lacking attention for border rules.”

Additional Confiscations Throughout Multiple Territories

Recoveries of items among them a bow weapon and incendiary device were also made in Victoria, the WA region, the southern isle and the the central territory, where authorities stated they discovered a number of homemade guns, in addition to a 3D printer in the isolated community of a specific location.