🔗 Share this article Major Unlawful Firearms Operation Sees Over 1,000 Items Taken in NZ and Down Under Authorities have seized more than 1,000 firearms and weapon pieces as part of a crackdown targeting the proliferation of illicit firearms in the country and the island nation. Cross-Border Initiative Culminates in Apprehensions and Confiscations The week-long transnational initiative culminated in more than 180 detentions, as reported by immigration authorities, and the seizure of 281 DIY guns and pieces, such as products produced using 3D printers. Regional Revelations and Arrests Across the state of NSW, authorities discovered multiple additive manufacturing devices alongside glock-style pistols, magazines and 3D-printed holsters, among other items. State law enforcement reported they detained 45 individuals and confiscated 518 firearms and firearm parts during the operation. Numerous persons were faced with offences such as the creation of banned firearms without a licence, bringing in banned items and having a electronic design for creation of guns – an offense in certain regions. “Those 3D printed components could seem vibrant, but they are serious items. Once assembled, they become dangerous tools – completely illegal and extremely dangerous,” a high-ranking officer said in a release. “That’s why we’re focusing on the full supply chain, from manufacturing devices to imported parts. “Public safety forms the basis of our gun registration framework. Shooters need to be authorized, weapons have to be registered, and compliance is mandatory.” Rising Phenomenon of Homemade Guns Data gathered as part of an inquiry reveals that in the last half-decade in excess of 9,000 firearms have been taken illegally, and that in 2025, authorities executed recoveries of homemade firearms in the majority of administrative division. Judicial files reveal that the computer blueprints being manufactured within the country, fuelled by an online community of designers and enthusiasts that advocate for an “absolute freedom to possess firearms”, are increasingly reliable and deadly. Over the past three to four years the trend has been from “very novice, minimally functional, almost a one-shot weapon” to more advanced guns, police said at the time. Border Seizures and Web-Based Transactions Parts that cannot be reliably additively manufactured are frequently purchased from online retailers internationally. A senior customs agent stated that in excess of 8,000 illicit weapons, components and add-ons had been detected at the border in the previous fiscal year. “Overseas gun components can be constructed with additional homemade pieces, producing hazardous and untraceable firearms making their way to our communities,” the agent said. “Numerous of these goods are offered by digital stores, which might cause users to incorrectly assume they are permitted on entry. Many of these services just process purchases from abroad acting as an intermediary without any considerations for border rules.” Further Confiscations Across Various Territories Seizures of products such as a projectile launcher and flame-thrower were further executed in the state of Victoria, the WA region, Tasmania and the the central territory, where law enforcement reported they located a number of homemade firearms, as well as a additive manufacturing device in the isolated community of the named area.