Australian police detained a young man who allegedly committed a crime with a firearm he made with a 3D printer at home. The gun was confiscated in a raid on the house.
Western Australian police found the 3D printed gun and a number of other firearms after executing a search warrant at the 18-year-old’s home.
Detective Senior Sergeant Blair Smith told reporters, “This firearm looks like a toy but has the ability to cause serious harm to our community.” “It is deeply concerning that this man was able to produce this firearm at home with a 3D printer and readily available materials.
According to Nine News, the plastic gun can fire 15 bullets with one pull of the trigger. Nine claimed it took police two days to build with materials costing less than 40 Australian dollars.
Last year, the Western Australian government proposed amending gun laws to make the production of plastic 3D firearms illegal.
Under the proposal, anyone caught with plans or instructions on how to make them would face a maximum of 10 years in prison.
In Australia, civilians are banned from owning fully automatic weapons. All other gun ownership is heavily regulated and limited to people over 18 with a valid license.
