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Authorities taken possession of more than 1,000 guns and weapon pieces during a crackdown focusing on the circulation of illicit firearms in the country and New Zealand.

Transnational Initiative Results in Apprehensions and Recoveries

This extended international operation resulted in over 180 detentions, based on statements from immigration authorities, and the seizure of 281 privately manufactured firearms and parts, among them items created with additive manufacturing devices.

Regional Finds and Arrests

In New South Wales, authorities found numerous additive manufacturing devices in addition to glock-style pistols, cartridge holders and custom-made holders, among other items.

Regional police said they apprehended 45 suspects and seized 518 firearms and weapon pieces in the course of the effort. Several individuals were accused of crimes including the creation of illegal guns without proper authorization, bringing in banned items and owning a electronic design for creation of firearms – an offense in various jurisdictions.

“These additively manufactured parts might appear bright, but they are serious items. Once assembled, they are transformed into deadly arms – completely illegal and very risky,” a senior police official commented in a release. “For this purpose we’re aiming at the full supply chain, from manufacturing devices to foreign pieces.

“Citizen protection forms the basis of our firearms licensing system. Firearm users must be licensed, firearms have to be registered, and compliance is absolute.”

Growing Issue of DIY Firearms

Information obtained as part of an inquiry reveals that during the previous five years over 9,000 guns have been taken illegally, and that in 2025, police made seizures of privately manufactured weapons in the majority of state and territory.

Legal documents reveal that the digital designs currently produced in Australia, powered by an online community of developers and advocates that support an “complete liberty to keep and bear arms”, are increasingly reliable and dangerous.

Over the past three to four years the development has been from “highly unskilled, barely operational, practically single-use” to superior weapons, police stated at the time.

Immigration Interceptions and Web-Based Purchases

Pieces that are difficult to additively manufactured are commonly purchased from digital stores abroad.

A senior customs agent stated that more than 8,000 unlawful firearms, pieces and accessories had been found at the frontier in the last financial year.

“Overseas weapon pieces can be constructed with further homemade components, forming hazardous and untraceable firearms filtering onto our neighborhoods,” the agent said.

“Numerous of these items are being sold by online retailers, which might cause individuals to mistakenly think they are not controlled on shipment. Many of these platforms only arrange transactions from abroad acting as an intermediary lacking attention for border rules.”

Further Recoveries Throughout Multiple Areas

Confiscations of objects among them a crossbow and flame-thrower were additionally conducted in Victoria, the WA region, Tasmania and the the central territory, where police reported they located several DIY firearms, in addition to a 3D printer in the isolated community of the named area.