3D-printed gun cases
TWO 3D-printed guns have been recorded by Police Scotland.
The incidents were logged last year, with the first happening in the Argyll and West Dunbartonshire division in April, followed by another in Tayside a month later.
These incidents were revealed as part of a
Freedom of Information request by 1919 Magazine.
Detective inspector
Derek Whiteford of Police Scotland told 1919 Magazine: “Emerging trends are constantly monitored, and we work with key partners, including NCA, NABIS, UK police forces, and prosecutors, to keep informed of any new or existing illegal firearm design and production.
“We regularly exchange information and intelligence to help prevent the risk posed by the manufacture, distribution and possession of 3D printed firearms.”
The devices were sent to police laboratories for analysis. Experts warned the guns are cheap and easy to produce, although unlikely to cause the public an increased risk.
Forensic services alerted the Scottish Police Authority, stating that they were dealing with increasingly complex cases involving the 3D printed weapons and they “required additional capacity to complete”.
David Dyson, a firearms expert witness, said:
“People who want 3D printed guns fall into two general categories – serious criminals who would look to get their hands on firearms anyway, and people who simply have a curiosity about guns but mean no harm.
“They can be made quite quickly and easily from a 3D printer, and then you need some metal components – it requires a bit of skill but a fairly practical person would be able to do it.
“But it’s not the Wild West – police are able to bring charges against people, and even just having the information may be enough in terms of terrorism-related charges.”
In the UK, 3D printed guns were implicitly illegal as they were regarded as a firearm in an updated legislation in November 2022 to explicitly include them under the 1968 Firearms Act.
Possession, purchase, or production of component parts for a 3D printed gun is now an offence.