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Police have seized over 1,000 firearms and firearm components during a crackdown aimed at the circulation of illegal guns in Australia and its neighbor.

Transnational Operation Results in Arrests and Seizures

This extended international initiative culminated in in excess of 180 detentions, as reported by border officials, and the recovery of 281 privately manufactured weapons and parts, such as products created with 3D printers.

Regional Revelations and Detentions

In New South Wales, law enforcement found multiple additive manufacturing devices in addition to semi-automatic handguns, ammunition clips and 3D-printed holsters, along with other gear.

Regional police said they arrested 45 suspects and seized 518 guns and firearm parts during the operation. Multiple persons were charged with crimes including the production of illegal weapons unlicensed, importing prohibited goods and owning a electronic design for creation of firearms – a violation in certain regions.

“Such 3D printed components may look vibrant, but they are serious items. Once assembled, they turn into lethal weapons – completely illegal and extremely dangerous,” an experienced detective said in a release. “For this purpose we’re aiming at the full supply chain, from printers to imported parts.

“Public safety sits at the core of our firearms licensing system. Firearm users are required to be authorized, guns must be registered, and compliance is non-negotiable.”

Increasing Trend of Privately Made Guns

Statistics obtained for an probe shows that over the past five years more than 9,000 firearms have been lost to theft, and that currently, police conducted confiscations of homemade weapons in the majority of state and territory.

Judicial files indicate that the digital designs being manufactured in Australia, powered by an internet group of creators and advocates that support an “unlimited right to own and carry weapons”, are increasingly reliable and lethal.

During the last three to four years the trend has been from “very novice, barely operational, almost a one-shot weapon” to higher-quality firearms, authorities reported previously.

Border Interceptions and Online Purchases

Components that are not easily 3D-printed are often ordered from online retailers overseas.

A high-ranking border official said that more than 8,000 unlawful weapons, pieces and accessories had been found at the customs checkpoint in the most recent accounting period.

“Imported firearm parts are often put together with other homemade parts, creating dangerous and unmarked guns appearing on our communities,” the officer added.

“A lot of these products are available for purchase by e-commerce sites, which may lead people to wrongly believe they are permitted on import. Numerous of these websites simply place orders from overseas on the buyer’s behalf without any considerations for import regulations.”

Additional Recoveries Throughout Multiple Areas

Recoveries of objects among them a bow weapon and incendiary device were also made in Victoria, the WA region, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, where law enforcement stated they located several DIY guns, along with a 3D printer in the remote town of Nhulunbuy.