Gardaí investigate source of 3D-printed weapons after numerous seizures

A 3D-printed gun seized by gardaí in Dublin last month. Picture: An Garda Síochána

Garda security services are continuing their investigations into the source of 3D-printed guns circulating in Ireland after another seizure of the weapon.

The interception of the firearm in Ballymun, North Dublin, on Wednesday evening, brings to at least 10 the number of 3D-printed guns seized in the State since June of this year.

They have been seized in six different incidents, spanning five counties: Dublin, Cork, Tipperary, Clare and Carlow.

Many seizures are being made by local Garda drug units carrying out planned searches of suspected drug dealers, suggesting the weapons are circulating in the middle tiers of the domestic drug trade.

The spate of seizures of 3D weapons has sparked concern within security and organised crime sections of An Garda Síochána, as well as local police units.

Garda headquarters has set up an investigation to try and figure out where the 3D guns are coming from — if they are being supplied by the same person in Ireland, or from different people, or are they coming in from abroad.

They are gathering all the information about the seizures, including the weapons and the history of those arrested, and their criminal associates.

Detectives, assisted by crime analysts, are working to establish if there is a common origin to them.

Security sources previously suggested they suspected the firearms were coming from the same supplier, as they were the same design. It is not clear if that assessment has changed.

Last May, the EU police agency Europol warned 3D printed firearms were becoming more prevalent.

“Advancing technologies are likely to further scale up the volume and sophistication of 3D printed and counterfeit firearms and components.

"In the context of privately manufactured firearms, the phenomenon of 3D printed firearms and components appears to have intensified, exacerbated by the ease of access to printing machines and computer-aided design plans freely circulating on the internet."

In Wednesday’s seizure, the Ballymun drugs unit recovered the firearm in a planned drugs search of a home in the area, during which they confiscated a small amount of drugs. A man in his 40s was arrested.

Last week, the Carlow drugs unit seized two 3D-printed firearms, a shotgun and ammunition in planned searches in relation to local drug dealing. They also found a viable improvised explosive device. Again, a relatively small amount of drugs was seized.

In August, gardaí in Cork seized a loaded 3D-printed pistol and arrested two men in Charleville.

Earlier that month, a man was caught with a loaded 3D-printed pistol in Dublin’s north inner city.

In June, in Dublin’s south inner city, gardaí were carrying out a drugs search on a man in a taxi when a gun fell out of a ballistic vest he was wearing. It turned out to be a 3D-printed pistol.