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Police taken possession of more than 1,000 weapons and gun parts as part of a sweep targeting the spread of illicit firearms in Australia and its neighbor.

Cross-Border Effort Leads to Apprehensions and Confiscations

A seven-day international operation resulted in over 180 apprehensions, based on statements from immigration authorities, and the recovery of 281 privately manufactured weapons and components, such as units produced using additive manufacturing devices.

Local Finds and Detentions

Across the state of NSW, authorities discovered several additive manufacturing devices alongside glock-style pistols, cartridge holders and custom-made holders, along with other gear.

Local authorities reported they arrested 45 individuals and seized 518 firearms and firearm parts in the course of the initiative. Multiple suspects were charged with offences including the production of banned weapons unlicensed, bringing in illegal products and possessing a electronic design for creation of guns – a violation in some states.

“These 3D printed components could seem vibrant, but they are far from playthings. When put together, they turn into dangerous tools – entirely illicit and highly hazardous,” a senior police official said in a statement. “That’s why we’re aiming at the entire network, from printers to imported parts.

“Citizen protection forms the basis of our weapon control program. Firearm users are required to be authorized, firearms are obliged to be recorded, and compliance is non-negotiable.”

Rising Phenomenon of Privately Made Guns

Information gathered as part of an inquiry reveals that during the previous five years in excess of 9,000 weapons have been lost to theft, and that in 2025, police executed recoveries of homemade firearms in the majority of regional jurisdiction.

Judicial files indicate that the 3D models currently produced in Australia, driven by an internet group of designers and enthusiasts that support an “unlimited right to keep and bear arms”, are increasingly reliable and deadly.

In recent several years the trend has been from “highly unskilled, minimally functional, nearly disposable” to more advanced firearms, police said previously.

Immigration Interceptions and Online Purchases

Pieces that cannot be reliably 3D-printed are frequently acquired from e-commerce sites internationally.

A high-ranking border official stated that over 8,000 unlawful firearms, pieces and add-ons had been discovered at the frontier in the previous fiscal year.

“Imported gun components are often put together with additional homemade components, producing dangerous and untraceable guns making their way to our neighborhoods,” the officer stated.

“Many of these goods are offered by e-commerce sites, which might cause users to wrongly believe they are not controlled on import. Many of these platforms only arrange transactions from overseas acting as an intermediary without any considerations for border rules.”

Additional Seizures Across Various Regions

Recoveries of objects among them a bow weapon and flame-thrower were also made in the state of Victoria, the western territory, Tasmania and the the NT, where authorities stated they located a number of homemade weapons, in addition to a 3D printer in the remote town of Nhulunbuy.