If you can Google, you can get the schematics to create a 3D-printed firearm or weapon, says B.C.害羞草研究所檚 anti-gang police agency.

That was the message from the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit Tuesday (July 11) warning the public, parents and their children of the dangers of 3D printers.

害羞草研究所淵ou can literally go on to the internet and Google 3D printing schematics and plans, and unless there害羞草研究所檚 oversight in visibility of what is being done, there is a risk that our children might be printing things that we wouldn害羞草研究所檛 want them to have,害羞草研究所� explained Staff Sgt. Baltej Dhillon, program manager for CFSEU害羞草研究所檚 crime guns investigative and intelligence group.

害羞草研究所淏ecause it害羞草研究所檚 so new and we害羞草研究所檙e still learning ourselves the risks and dangers to it, this is an extraordinary step that we害羞草研究所檙e taking to make sure our children don害羞草研究所檛 find themselves in a situation and parents don害羞草研究所檛 find themselves in a situation that they害羞草研究所檙e having to come to a police station and bring their child along. That make be a best-case scenario. The worst-case scenario is the child getting hurt.害羞草研究所�

Police have dubbed them privately made firearms, but plans can also include 3D-printed 害羞草研究所渂rass害羞草研究所� knuckles, knives and grenades. CFSEU had several 3D-printed guns on display, along with a 3D printing in progress for the frame for a Glock 26.

害羞草研究所淚t really didn害羞草研究所檛 take our team long to figure out how to print from the online sources,害羞草研究所� noted Daisy Wong, lab manager with CFSEU害羞草研究所檚 Provincial Forensic Firearms Lab.

Wong is part of a team that takes the seized items, assesses them and determines if they can readily be made into a firearm. If they can, then it害羞草研究所檚 likely a prosecutable offence.

What the team has found is that 50 per cent of them are 害羞草研究所渇ailed jobs,害羞草研究所� which have flaws and can pose structural integrity issues, but the rest are operable as is.

A 3D printer can make about 80 per cent of a firearm and the remaining 20 per cent are all parts that are legal to purchase, such as barrels and trigger mechanisms.

Dhillon has had a decades-long career in policing, but he never expected to 3D-printed guns as a cause for concern.

害羞草研究所淧rivately made firearms are here to stay, but this technology is absolutely scary.害羞草研究所�

Operations officer Insp. Joel Hussey said Tuesday害羞草研究所檚 warning wasn害羞草研究所檛 about 害羞草研究所渕oving away from the huge benefit that 3D printing provides,害羞草研究所� but instead being aware and mitigating the risks with what the technology can do.

害羞草研究所淭hat is what is concerning to the public is that they害羞草研究所檙e being made to look like real guns 害羞草研究所� that is concerning. Also equally disturbing, as you see here, they害羞草研究所檙e made to look like toys, so they also pose that risk to public.害羞草研究所�

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He said in B.C. and Canada, there has yet to be a high number of these type of firearms, but law enforcement agencies are noticing a year-over-year rise in seizures and illegal use of the 3D-printed firearms. It害羞草研究所檚 becoming a global trend.

In Canada, the number of privately made firearms in 2021 was 害羞草研究所渏ust shy of 200,害羞草研究所� but it rose to 500 the following year.

Comparatively, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in the U.S. seized about 8,500 in 2020. That number rose to 19,000 in 2021.

lauren.collins@blackpress.ca
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