A man has been arrested after multiple 3D-printed guns and hundreds of parts used to make them were seized in a Canterbury raid yesterday.
Police carried out the search at a property in Kaiapoi as part of an operation to crack down on the production of 3D-printed firearms.
During the raid, officers found five fully operational 3D-printed guns and two cut-down firearms.
Police also found 33 rounds of ammunition and hundreds of parts, including receivers, magazines, suppressors, grips, and barrels.
Officers seized 3D printers, including one that was printing when they raided the property. Police found multiple digital blueprints used to make the guns and parts.
A 45-year-old man was charged with seven counts of unlawful possession of a pistol, two counts of unlawful possession of ammunition, manufacturing firearms using illegal parts, possession of a digital blueprint with intent to illegally manufacture an arms item, and intentional manufacturing of a firearm with no business licence. He was due to appear in the Christchurch District Court today.
Superintendent Tony Hill said that all 3D-printed contraband would be assessed by a firearms expert and “further arrests or charges cannot be ruled out”.
“These are firearms and ammunition that will never reach their intended destination, and our community is safer as a result,” he said.
“This has been a significant operation, and we will continue to seek out those involved in the making and selling of these firearms to stamp out this type of offending, because the consequences could be devastating for our community.
“It is likely we have prevented a significant amount of harm from being inflicted on the community.”
Hill said police were “not stopping here” in its effort to combat 3D-printed guns.
“We will continue to investigate and will target anyone who seeks to profit from the harm and destruction that this offending causes,” says Superintendent Hill.
“Our staff work tirelessly to keep our communities safe from those who would profit from the opposite of that.
“If you are engaged in this offending, you should expect to meet our staff soon.”