🔗 Share this article Large-Scale Illicit Weapons Sweep Leads to In excess of 1,000 Items Taken in New Zealand and Australia Law enforcement confiscated over 1,000 weapons and gun parts during a sweep targeting the proliferation of illegal weapons in Australia and the island nation. International Effort Results in Apprehensions and Recoveries This extended transnational operation resulted in more than 180 detentions, as reported by customs agents, and the recovery of 281 homemade guns and pieces, among them units produced using 3D printers. State-Level Revelations and Apprehensions Across the state of NSW, police found several 3D printers in addition to glock-style pistols, ammunition clips and custom-made holders, in addition to various pieces. Regional authorities stated they arrested 45 suspects and seized 518 guns and weapon pieces during the operation. Numerous suspects were accused of offences including the production of illegal guns unlicensed, shipping prohibited goods and having a digital blueprint for creation of guns – an offense in certain regions. “These additively manufactured parts may look colourful, but they are serious items. Once assembled, they are transformed into lethal weapons – totally unlawful and very risky,” a senior police official commented in a statement. “For this purpose we’re focusing on the full supply chain, from manufacturing devices to foreign pieces. “Citizen protection sits at the core of our gun registration framework. Gun owners need to be licensed, guns must be registered, and conformity is non-negotiable.” Rising Phenomenon of Privately Made Weapons Statistics collected during an investigation shows that in the last half-decade over 9,000 firearms have been lost to theft, and that in 2025, authorities made seizures of homemade firearms in almost every regional jurisdiction. Legal documents indicate that the digital designs being manufactured within the country, fuelled by an online community of designers and advocates that promote an “complete liberty to own and carry weapons”, are increasingly reliable and deadly. Over the past three to four years the pattern has been from “extremely amateur, very low-powered, practically single-use” to superior weapons, police said at the time. Border Discoveries and Online Transactions Components that are difficult to additively manufactured are often ordered from e-commerce sites abroad. A high-ranking border official stated that over 8,000 illicit weapons, components and add-ons had been found at the border in the most recent accounting period. “Imported weapon pieces can be constructed with further homemade parts, producing dangerous and untraceable guns filtering onto our streets,” the official stated. “Many of these items are offered by online retailers, which may lead users to incorrectly assume they are permitted on import. Many of these platforms only arrange transactions from abroad for the customer without any considerations for import regulations.” Additional Confiscations Across Several Areas Recoveries of products such as a crossbow and fire projector were also made in the state of Victoria, the western territory, the island state and the the central territory, where authorities said they located a number of homemade firearms, along with a additive manufacturing device in the isolated community of the named area.