The police in British Columbia have issued a warning about the threat that 3D-printed weapons pose.
According to the gang focused Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit-BC, legal 3D printers are able to create up to 80% of a functioning firearm using online data files that are easy to access.
The remainder of the gun, which is 20 percent, can be completed by purchasing parts such as barrels or firing pins.
Sometimes referred to as “ghost guns” because of their inability to be traced, privately-made firearms (PMFs) are growing in popularity with organized crime and gangs, according to police.
“Modern technology is moving firearms alterations and manufacturing into the mainstream, and we all have a role to play in terms of recognizing risks and prevention,” Assistant Commissioner Manny Mann, officer in charge of CFSEU-BC told a press briefing.
“We encourage everyone to take time learning about privately made firearms, especially if you already have a 3D printer in your home or are considering purchasing one.”
Mann pointed to the CFSEU-BC’s participation in a recent national operation led by the Surete du Quebec targeting privately-made firearms that led to 45 arrests across Canada, along with the seizure of 440 firearms — both traditional and 3D-printed — and 52 3D printers as a warning sign.
CFSEU Insp. Joel Hussey stated that the rise of 3D printed guns is a worldwide phenomenon. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of PMFs confiscated in the U.S. increased from 8,500 up to 19,000
“In Canada we haven’t seen huge seizures but it is trending upwards,” he said.
“For example, in Canada the number of PMFs in 2021 were just shy of 200, and in 2022 it rose to 500. So it gives you an idea.”
He said the police in B.C. We encourage 3D printer owners, especially businesses and parents, to understand that they can be used for nefarious purposes.
Parents, he said, should monitor what their kids are making and review all programs they download and parts they print to ensure they aren’t making real or replica weapons.
A concern is that 3D printing can create both real, functioning guns that look just like toys. The tools can also be used to make replicas that look like real guns.
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“We become very alive to the fact that this creates a greater risk and a threat to public safety, and in particular for young people who may not understand all the risks associated with downloading what may look like an inert, or toy-type item,” he said.
“Bringing a printed polymer plastic firearm to the airport or to school or to an event may bring about all kind of responsive reaction that may not end well.”
Dhillon stated that police should always treat anything that looks like a gun as if they were a real one. He also added that the use of a replica in the commission or any crime is illegal under the Criminal Code.
Parents and 3D-printer owners are being urged by the police to be aware of their risks and to keep in mind the following tips to reduce the chances that these printers can be used for making weapons.
- You, your students, employees, or children should know what they are printing.
- You may find blueprints for firearms online, but they are not easy to access.
- You should not make 3D-printed components for other people
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