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Law enforcement have seized over 1,000 weapons and weapon pieces during a crackdown aimed at the spread of unlawful guns in the country and New Zealand.

Transnational Effort Results in Detentions and Confiscations

The week-long cross-border operation led to over 180 detentions, as reported by customs agents, and the recovery of 281 DIY firearms and components, among them items created with additive manufacturing devices.

Regional Revelations and Apprehensions

Across the state of NSW, law enforcement discovered multiple three-dimensional printers in addition to pistols of a certain design, magazines and 3D-printed holsters, in addition to various pieces.

State authorities reported they detained 45 people and confiscated 518 guns and weapon pieces during the effort. Numerous suspects were faced with violations such as the production of prohibited guns unlicensed, shipping prohibited goods and owning a digital blueprint for production of guns – a violation in various jurisdictions.

“These additively manufactured parts may look colourful, but they are serious items. Once assembled, they become deadly arms – totally unlawful and very risky,” a high-ranking officer said in a announcement. “This is the reason we’re targeting the complete pipeline, from fabrication tools to foreign pieces.

“Public safety is the foundation of our gun registration framework. Firearm users must be authorized, weapons are obliged to be documented, and compliance is absolute.”

Growing Issue of Homemade Guns

Information gathered during an investigation reveals that during the previous five years more than 9,000 firearms have been lost to theft, and that in 2025, authorities made seizures of homemade firearms in nearly all state and territory.

Court records reveal that the 3D models being manufactured domestically, fuelled by an digital network of creators and enthusiasts that advocate for an “absolute freedom to own and carry weapons”, are steadily functional and lethal.

Over the past several years the pattern has been from “very novice, very low-powered, nearly disposable” to superior weapons, authorities reported earlier.

Border Interceptions and Online Sales

Parts that cannot be reliably additively manufactured are frequently ordered from e-commerce sites overseas.

An experienced customs agent stated that over 8,000 unlawful firearms, pieces and attachments had been found at the frontier in the most recent accounting period.

“Foreign-sourced firearm parts can be constructed with additional DIY components, forming hazardous and unregistered firearms making their way to our neighborhoods,” the official said.

“Numerous of these goods are offered by digital stores, which may lead people to mistakenly think they are permitted on import. Many of these websites only arrange transactions from abroad for the customer lacking attention for border rules.”

Further Seizures Throughout Various Regions

Confiscations of items including a projectile launcher and flame-thrower were further executed in the state of Victoria, the western territory, the southern isle and the the NT, where authorities stated they located multiple homemade guns, as well as a additive manufacturing device in the distant settlement of Nhulunbuy.