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Authorities taken possession of more than 1,000 weapons and firearm components as part of a sweep targeting the spread of illicit weapons in the country and its neighbor.

International Initiative Leads to Apprehensions and Seizures

This extended cross-border operation resulted in over 180 arrests, according to immigration authorities, and the seizure of 281 homemade firearms and parts, including products made by additive manufacturing devices.

State-Level Finds and Arrests

Within NSW, law enforcement found numerous three-dimensional printers in addition to glock-style pistols, cartridge holders and custom-made holders, in addition to various pieces.

Regional police said they arrested 45 individuals and took possession of 518 guns and weapon pieces in the course of the initiative. Numerous individuals were charged with offences among them the production of prohibited weapons without proper authorization, shipping banned items and possessing a computer file for production of guns – a violation in various jurisdictions.

“These additively manufactured parts could seem bright, but they are serious items. When put together, they are transformed into dangerous tools – completely illegal and very risky,” a senior police official stated in a announcement. “That’s why we’re targeting the complete pipeline, from manufacturing devices to imported parts.

“Community security is the foundation of our gun registration framework. Shooters must be authorized, firearms must be recorded, and adherence is mandatory.”

Rising Issue of Homemade Firearms

Statistics collected as part of an investigation reveals that during the previous five years more than 9,000 firearms have been lost to theft, and that in 2025, police made seizures of privately manufactured guns in almost every administrative division.

Judicial files reveal that the computer blueprints now created domestically, driven by an internet group of developers and enthusiasts that support an “complete liberty to own and carry weapons”, are increasingly reliable and lethal.

In recent three to four years the trend has been from “extremely amateur, barely operational, almost a one-shot weapon” to superior guns, police stated at the time.

Border Discoveries and Digital Purchases

Components that are not easily 3D-printed are commonly purchased from e-commerce sites internationally.

A senior customs agent stated that over 8,000 illegal guns, parts and accessories had been detected at the border in the last financial year.

“Foreign-sourced firearm parts can be constructed with other DIY parts, producing hazardous and untraceable firearms filtering onto our neighborhoods,” the agent added.

“Many of these goods are offered by online retailers, which might cause users to mistakenly think they are unregulated on shipment. Many of these websites just process purchases from abroad acting as an intermediary with no regard for import regulations.”

Additional Recoveries Throughout Various Regions

Seizures of products such as a crossbow and fire projector were also made in the state of Victoria, the WA region, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, where law enforcement reported they located several homemade guns, in addition to a fabrication tool in the isolated community of the named area.