Canterbury Police have taken down a major illicit 3D printed firearms operation with the seizure of a large cache of over 300 firearms, parts, and ammunition during a search warrant in Kaiapoi.
Police staff descended on the address on Tuesday 20 October, where hundreds of completed firearm parts and five 3D printers were found.
Superintendent Tony Hill, Canterbury District Commander, says Operation Cross Country was a crucial result for Canterbury Police and the community.
“These are firearms and ammunition that will never reach their intended destination, and our community is safer as a result.
“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.”
Among the trove of 3D printed items recovered, Police found five fully operational 3D firearms and two cut-down firearms.
“Just because some of the firearms are non-operational now, does not mean they would have been in the future.
“It is likely we have prevented a significant amount of harm from being inflicted on the community.”
A total of 33 rounds of ammunition was located, alongside the 3D printers – including one that was printing when staff arrived – and multiple digital blueprints to manufacture the firearms and parts.
Police also located a significant amount of 3D printed parts:
- 50 receivers
- 34 magazines
- 35 suppressors
- 23 slides
- 28 cylinders
- 12 barrels
- 64 springs
- 5 foregrips
- And 107 miscellaneous parts
“Police have put a stop to this syndicate’s operation and we’re not stopping here.
“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.
“This result shows the work that has been carried out by multiple workgroups including the Gang Disruption Unit, Offender Prevention Team, and members of the Armed Offenders Squad.
“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.”
A 45-year-old man is due to appear in Christchurch District Court today, facing multiple charges:
- 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 arms item
- Intentional manufacturing of a firearm with no business licence
Operation Cross Country continues, including the assessment of all 3D printed items from a firearms expert, and further arrests or charges cannot be ruled out, says Hill.
3D-printed firearms are weapons that are partially or primarily produced using a 3D printer, often categorized as “ghost guns” because they lack serial numbers and background checks, making them untraceable by law enforcement.
They generally fall into three categories: fully 3D-printed (F3DP) models, which are nearly entirely plastic with minimal improvised parts like nails for firing pins; hybrid firearms, which combine printed polymer frames with standard metal components like barrels and slides for greater reliability; and Parts Kit Completions (PKC), where a 3D-printed receiver is assembled with factory-made parts.
While early models like the 2013 Liberator were single-shot, unreliable pistols, modern designs such as the FGC-9 and Urutau are semi-automatic, durable, and capable of using standard ammunition. These weapons are typically assembled from digital blueprints available online using consumer-grade FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) printers and thermoplastic filaments, allowing individuals to bypass traditional manufacturing supply chains and regulatory oversight.