Australian police are investigating a school teacher who allegedly brought a 3D printed handgun to school.According to official reports, the teacher, who works at a school in Canberra, did not display the firearm in class and returned home later that day.However, police were alerted after receiving information about the incident.
They later executed a search warrant at the teacher’s home, where they seized the 3D printed firearm along with the printer used to manufacture it.Authorities believe the teacher intended to demonstrate 3D printing capabilities but emphasized that creating firearms or firearm parts using 3D printers without a license is illegal. 3D printed weapon seized at Canberra teacher’s home.Image courtesy of the Australian Federal Police.
Across Australia, law enforcement agencies are increasingly encountering 3D printed firearms.Police worldwide have noted that these weapons, often untraceable, present significant challenges to public safety.In fact, this is not the first time there has been an arrest in Australia related to the production of 3D printed firearms.
In October 2024, Western Australian police seized 21 privately made 3D printed weapons from a Perth residence.A year before, Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Policing confiscated multiple 3D printed firearms and ammunition from a 17-year-old in Garran, while another teenager was accused of illegally manufacturing firearms using a 3D printer.What’s more, recent recent data from 3DPrint.com shows that the total number of arrests related to 3D printed firearms in Australia grew from 19 between 2013 and 2023 to 26 by mid-2024.
This represents about 8% of the total arrests reported and indicates a 36.8% increase in just one year.Police and government reports claim that 3D printed weapons are often turning up in the hands of criminals.Officers across Australia and other countries have reported multiple arrests where 3D printed guns or parts were found alongside drugs or stolen goods, or even in cases linked to human trafficking.
What concerns police most is that these weapons are not just being made; they are being used by people already engaged in serious criminal activity.In some cases, criminals have also used 3D printers to produce conversion devices—small components that can turn standard firearms into semi-automatic weapons.This is a growing threat that law enforcement has also grappled with over the past year as the technology becomes more accessible and harder to control.
The Canberra community is being reminded that 3D printed guns and gun parts are illegal.More: https://t.co/ykXl47lNAJ pic.twitter.com/KZNFyb1M5u — ACT Policing (@ACTPolicing) April 15, 2025 This rise in arrests has drawn attention to how Australia is tightening its laws around 3D printed guns.Back in 1996, after a tragic mass shooting in Tasmania, Australia introduced the National Firearms Agreement, a country-wide plan to reduce gun violence.
Since then, strict rules have been in place, including requiring a proper license to own or make a firearm, and banning certain types of guns altogether.That means creating a gun with a 3D printer, without a license, is illegal.3D printed weapon seized at Canberra teacher’s home.
Image courtesy of the Australian Federal Police.Now, with the rise of 3D printing, some states are updating their laws even further.New South Wales and Tasmania have passed laws making it illegal to possess the digital files used to 3D print a firearm, and South Australia is considering doing the same.
In the ACT, which includes Canberra, the nation’s capital, there is no specific law against possessing digital blueprints for 3D printed guns.However, manufacturing firearms without a license remains illegal.Subscribe to Our Email Newsletter Stay up-to-date on all the latest news from the 3D printing industry and receive information and offers from third party vendors.
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