Police push to ban 3D-printed gun blueprints amid rise in manufacturing by organised crime

• Police want to make it an offence to download or possess blueprints for 3D-printed firearms amid rising manufacturing.
• Detective Superintendent Greg Williams also wants certain blank-firing and gel blaster guns banned.
• Organised crime groups may import firearm parts to evade stricter local gun laws, says a customs intelligence report obtained by the Herald.

Police want to make it illegal to download or possess blueprints or instructions to make 3D-printed firearms amid a “ramping up” in the manufacture of such weapons by organised crime groups.

Figures released to the Herald show since 2018, 58 3D-printed guns have been seized by police along with between 200 to 300 3D-printed firearms parts.

3D printing is the construction of a three-dimensional model using a digital file. 3D-printed gun parts are frequently used overseas to build “ghost guns” – firearms without serial numbers – that can’t be traced.

Police also want certain types of blank-firing guns, sometimes used to start races, and some toy air-powered “gel blaster” guns banned, saying certain versions can be converted into lethal weapons.

Gel blasters, which fire gel pellets, blank-firing guns and possession of 3D gun blueprints have already been outlawed in most of Australia.

Detective Superintendent Greg Williams, who’s the director of the National Organised Crime Group, told the Herald that New Zealand needed to follow suit.

“We are not here to stop toy guns if it’s a toy. We are not here to stop starter guns from starting races. We are only talking about items that could be converted to operating firearms. The intent is to stop them getting out to gangs and organised crime, or any person that does not have a firearms licence.”

Detective Superintendent Greg Williams is the director of the National Organised Crime Group. Photo / Mark Mitchell

When it comes to 3D-printed guns, Williams said more were turning up and they had become increasingly sophisticated and reliable.

“We are seeing a ramping up in the manufacturing of those. Back in the day, you’d be lucky if they fired one shot. Now you can basically produce one that’s virtually a machine gun.”

He said people with blueprints and the right type of printer should not be able to produce a firearm.

Police can currently charge offenders in possession of 3-D guns, or 3-D parts, but blueprints for 3-D guns are not considered objectionable items.

Williams has been heavily engaged with counterparts in Australia as part of a joint effort called Operation Athena to target illegal guns and stay ahead of emerging technology.

“The whole point of this is to understand what the environment looks and then looking at a variety of tools that includes legislation to disrupt and make it as hard as it can be for people to be able to print firearms going forward.”

He said police executing an unrelated warrant in Dunedin recently stumbled upon a person in the process of printing guns.

“It was actually a drug-related warrant at the address, and they came in and found they were in the process of manufacturing firearms in there. So that’s the key. You can buy a printer, get the files off the internet and you can start to produce.”

Williams told the Herald that policy experts at police were exploring options to make it illegal to possess 3D gun files or blueprints - essentially the digital instruction manual a 3D printer needs to print a gun.

It comes as law enforcement officials predict organised criminal groups will increasingly look to bring in firearm parts from overseas to build, modify or service guns given stricter gun laws in New Zealand.

Criminals often lean on legitimate firearms licence holders to source firearms.

Late last year, an Auckland man with no criminal record and a firearms licence was caught supplying 18 guns and ammunition to criminals in what’s known as a “straw buyer” diversion.

A customs intelligence report, obtained exclusively by the Herald, says the firearms registry will make it harder for gangs to source firearms through traditional means.

The report states criminals have “high intent to illicitly import prohibited parts” and “it’s possible 3D printed parts imports will occur to evade import permit regulations and to assist in firearms assembly”.

Customs intelligence manager Bruce Berry said, 'It's only a matter of time' before criminals increase efforts to get more gun parts across the border. Photo / Ben Dickens

Customs manager of intelligence Bruce Berry told the Herald that organised crime groups, which he called “apex predators”, were not afraid to use firearms. He said as officials shut down methods to illegally source guns domestically, criminals would look for an alternative.

“It’s like drugs; squeeze the balloon. If we target one particular area, it’ll pop out somewhere else. As we control the domestic supply of firearms, it’s going to pop up. Where’s the logical place it’s going to come up? It’s at the border.”

The Associate Minister of Justice, Nicole McKee, told the Herald she was yet to receive advice from officials on any changes to laws relating to 3D gun blueprint possession, blank-firing guns or gel guns.

But she acknowledged the current review of the Arms Act must account for advancements and new developments in firearms technology.

“I expect that any advice I receive from officials regarding 3D printed guns, illegally converted starter guns and gel blasters, and the countering of these in the Arms Act rewrite, will be supported by evidence and data.”

McKee, a former lobbyist for firearms licence holders, said she couldn’t rule any changes in our out before “focused consultation” with advisory and interest groups.

Michael Morrah is a senior investigative reporter/team leader at the Herald. He won the best coverage of a major news event at the 2024 Voyager NZ Media Awards and has twice been named reporter of the year. He has been a broadcast journalist for 20 years and joined the Herald in July 2024.