Daring AM: Tracking Criminal Cases Involving 3D Printed Guns Worldwide

As 3D printed firearms appear more frequently in criminal cases, law enforcement agencies worldwide are grappling with the challenges of tracking these untraceable weapons better known as ghost guns. From North America to Oceania, 3D printed firearms are climbing the ranks of criminal weaponry, drawing attention from law enforcement due to their lack of serial numbers, easy availability, and the setbacks they pose to traditional weapon control methods.

Often homemade, these weapons can cause real damage. In the last years, 3D printed guns have surfaced in criminal activities, raising concern over public safety. Month after month, new reports reveal police uncovering these firearms in unexpected locations, with criminals openly using them in robberies and often tied to other illegal activities like drug trafficking.

From a masked clown holding up stores to New Zealand’s first jail sentence for 3D printing guns, these cases reveal how far and wide this issue has spread.

North America

In October 2024, Hamilton Police in Ontario seized two 3D printed firearms during a search of an east-end residence. The investigation began after a firearm was found in Toronto and tracked back to a 43-year-old man in Hamilton, suspected of using a 3D printer to manufacture guns. During the search of his home, police reportedly found two 3D printed handguns, an improperly stored firearm, and other weapon components. Suspect Carlos Orellana Chicas now faces seven firearms-related charges.

In the United States, 3D printed guns have also raised concern lately. For example, in October 2024, Peter Celentano from Genesee County, New York, was charged with possessing illegal machine guns, many created with 3D printed components, and could face up to 10 years in prison.

Authorities discovered several 3D-printed gun parts, including pistol frames, AR-style lower receivers modified to work as automatic weapons and other firearm components. Roughly 59 of these AR-style receivers had a “third pinhole,” allowing for an extra pin to be added. This modification allows the firearm to function in fully automatic mode, meaning it can keep firing as long as the trigger is held down. Under U.S. law, this qualifies the modified receivers as “machine guns,” making them illegal to possess without the proper licensing due to their increased firepower and potential for rapid firing.

What’s more, New York State Police ordered a dive team to search the Erie Canal beneath the Beals Road bridge in Medina, where they retrieved a cardboard box containing 10 AR-style receivers, an unmarked handgun, magazines, and additional firearm parts, further adding to the case against the suspect.

Meanwhile, two recent incidents in Michigan involved partially 3D printed guns. In Ann Arbor, during a traffic stop, police discovered a 3D printed firearm without a serial number in a vehicle, leading to five-year felony charges for the two 18- and 19-year-old occupants.

Separately, in Garden City, a series of violent armed robberies were committed by a man wielding a 3D printed firearm and wearing a clown mask. The suspect, identified as Brendan Bonner, allegedly held up several establishments, threatening employees and demanding money with aggressive language, such as giving clerks only “30 seconds” before he would start shooting. He was eventually arrested and faces federal charges because a Westland police officer is part of a special task force that collaborates with federal agencies. This connection allows federal charges to be applied in cases involving certain serious crimes, which often carry stricter penalties.

Oceania

In New Zealand, a landmark case saw Matthew Bryan McLaren sentenced to prison for manufacturing 3D printed firearms, the first of its kind in the country. McLaren, who printed several guns between 2022 and 2024, faced 26 months in jail for creating restricted weapons. His activities came to light when police found a loaded 3D printed pistol, multiple parts, and manufacturing tools during an unrelated search.

Australia faces a similar trend, with 3D printed firearms reportedly in the hands of organized crime groups and even young individuals. Authorities say that the FGC-9, a semi-automatic firearm capable of firing multiple rounds, has become the most commonly seized 3D printed gun in the country. Law enforcement agencies gathered with the FBI and other experts in Melbourne to address this rising threat as part of Operation Athena, a national task force aimed at combating illicit firearm trafficking. In recent months, significant seizures included 21 privately made 3D printed guns in Western Australia and extensive supplies of 3D printed firearm parts in New South Wales.

Australian laws around 3D printed guns have tightened, with some states now prosecuting individuals for possessing digital blueprints. For example, violators in New South Wales face up to 14 years in prison, while Tasmania imposes penalties as high as 21 years. Authorities say they are also thinking about adding new regulations while making sure 3D printers can still be used legally in industry.

3DPrint.com Recognized in 3D Printed Gun Study

Adding to the conversation, a recent study titled The Emergence of 3D-Printed Firearms: An Analysis of Media and Law Enforcement Reports, authored by Olivier Delémont and Stefan Schaufelbühl from the Ecole des Sciences Criminelles at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland; Nicolas Florquin from Small Arms Survey at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva; and Denis Werner from Canada’s Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics at Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, acknowledged 3DPrint.com for data contributions.

Published in the Forensic Science International: Synergy, this paper dives into global data on 186 cases involving 3D printed firearms, primarily across North America, Europe, and Oceania, revealing a sharp rise in incidents since 2021. It highlights the accessibility and risks of hybrid and fully 3D-printed firearms, which are mostly made with entry-level 3D printers. By examining patterns in criminal use, manufacturing, and law enforcement encounters, the study points to the complex regulatory challenges posed by these emerging weapons and highlights several aspects that arise from the document, like the fact that the FGC-9 is one of the most commonly seized models in criminal activities.

Worldwide, 3D printed guns are pushing law enforcement to rethink weapon regulations. Countries like Australia and New Zealand are tightening laws, even penalizing the possession of digital blueprints, while North America has varied but growing responses. With widely available digital plans and 3D printers affordable, authorities believe this issue remains challenging, requiring updated laws and stronger global cooperation to keep communities safe.