RCMP makes two seizures of 3D printed weapons in NS as part of national crackdown

Nova Scotia RCMP says they seized 3D printed guns as part of a crackdown on privately made firearms across the country.

They executed a search warrant Tuesday of a home in a Priestville school area as part of Operation Reproduction, according to a press release, and found a gun that was manufactured using a 3D printer.

Police said they seized “23 firearms, an extendable baton, two suppressors, a tactical handgun conversion kit, a 3D printed extended magazine and brass knuckles” as well as a 3D printer.

RCMP said there were three people in the house and charges are expected to be filed.

Police also executed a search warrant at a home along the Cabot Trail in Middle River and seized a 3D printer, resin, 16 firearms and ammunition, as well as “electronic devices.”

They arrested a woman on the spot, but she was later released without charge. A man has also been arrested and has been released on conditions. He is due to appear in court at a later date, according to police.

Weapons seized across the country

RCMP detachments and police in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Manitoba and Saskatchewan conducted similar searches on Tuesday. They had seized about 440 traditional and 3D-printed firearms and 52 3D printers as part of the operation, the RCMP said.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Quebec provincial police chief Insp. Benoit Dube called the operation one of the largest weapons seizures he has participated in.

In total, police executed 64 search warrants in the eight provinces involved as part of the operation on Tuesday.

Dube said so-called “ghost weapons” are becoming more common in gun seizures, accounting for up to 25 percent of guns seized during police operations so far this year. He added that those arrested during the operation are between the ages of 16 and 77, and some have ties to organized crime.

Legal expert says seizures are not enough

“The RCMP’s efforts are addressing part of the problem,” said Amanda Turnbull, a former fellow at Dalhousie University’s Schulich School of Law and a prospective lecturer at the University of Waikato’s Te Piringa Faculty of Law.

Turnbull said that while it is illegal to privately manufacture certain guns and firearms, downloading files from the Internet that outline how guns should be printed is not.

She said there is a growing body of literature on “how technology enables violence,” spanning several academic fields.

“I think it’s more than just a criminal justice issue. It’s an ethical issue, a legal and technological issue, an internet regulation issue,” she said. “I don’t have the magic answer… [but] It’s not just criminal law that’s going to do it.”

Turnbull said it’s likely that the weapons that are 3D printed will range in durability from one shot per gun to reusable firearms, but figuring out how to regulate them remains an open question.

“Technology is racing ahead and the law is still trying to catch up.”